The Discerning Texan
All that is necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.
-- Edmund Burke
-- Edmund Burke
Thursday, October 06, 2005
OU Bombing was likely Islamist terror attempt
Every day more and more information comes out about what was whitewashed as a "loner suicide" last Saturday night outside a University of Oklahoma football game. As we have been reporting here and here, the initial pronouncements to the press by OU President Boren downplaying Joel Hinrics as not being associated with Islamist terror is being discredited by facts that continue to leak out about this story--and it appears increasingly likely that Hinrics was involved with Islamists. This appears to be an attempt by law enforcement agencies to downplay the story to the media to avoid raising alarm; however it appears from where I sit that America may be very lucky that this did not become a horrific terrorist tragedy. From The Jawa Report. Bold emphases are mine:
Islamic Terrorism in Oklahoma Likely
As more details become public about suicide bomber Joel Henry Hinrichs III, who blew himself up outside of a University of Oklahoma football game last Saturday, more and more evidence suggests that he may actually have been part of a larger plot.
Earlier reports indicated that Hinrichs had Islamic jihad material in his apartment that referenced bomb-making manuals. We downplayed that fact as not really evidence of a wider plot. After all, if you want to blow yourself up why not consult with the experts--Islamic terrorists?
But other facts have come to light which raise suspicions.
For an excellent map outlining the scene of the crime and Hinrichs' proximity to these places, please see this post at Zombietime. Other good roundups of the facts can be found at Gateway Pundit, The Politburo Diktat Michelle Malkin, and many many others.
1) Hinrichs seems to have converted to Islam and attended a nearby Islamic center. (see map at Zombietime) However, the president of the University of Oklahoma Muslim Studeant Association denies that Hinrichs was a Muslim. Other witnesses, though, claim Hinrichs was a frequent visitor to the mosque.
2) It appears that the Islamic center is affiliated with the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), a group with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and which has been investigated for funding terrorism by Congress.
3) The ISNA linked mosque may have been the same one attended by Zacharias MOUSSAOUI. Much more on the Zacharias MOUSSAOUI link at Cao's blog.
4) Hinrichs' roomate, Fazal M. Cheema, was a Pakistani national and neighbors claim the apartment was a center of activity for Middle Easterners. He is described as a 'really nice guy' by his friends. Unfortunately, all terrorists are described this way by their friends. NEIN now reports that Cheema and his associates may have been on the FBI's terror watch list.
5) Hinrichs attempted to buy a large amount of ammonium nitrate, a key ingredient in large explosives such as the first World Trade Center bombings or the Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building bombing.
6) Hinrichs was later known to the FBI because of his attempted purchase.
7) Evidence at the scene of the bombing suggests that shrapenel was part of the bomb. This is a strong indication that Hinrichs planned to kill more than himself.
8) Witnesses now report Hinrich may have attempted to enter the OU football game, but that he fled when security attempted to check his backpack
9) Northeast Intelligence Network, who's earlier reports we had dismissed because of that website's long track record of alarmism but who are increasingly looking like they got this one right, claims a source is telling them:
It appears that HINRICHS was part of a larger plan that included members of an Islamic terrorist cell based in and around the Norman and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area. As a Caucasian, it was much easier for him to obtain the materials needed to create a large bomb, act in concert with members of the local terrorist cell, and strike when relative calm was the word of the day.All of this evidence suggests that there may have been a wider plot by Islamic terrorists to use Joel Henry Hinrichs III as a suicide bomber in exactly the same way as terrorists use suicide bombers around the world: to kill civilians. Hinrichs, like so many other suicide bombers, failed in his attempt and killed only himself.
A word of caution is necessary here. It is definitely possible that Hinrichs did act alone and was just a sad nut with a death wish. Some of the facts presented above could turn out to be untrue, and even if true could be interpreted in a number of ways. We'll just have to wait and see. But, as of this writing I am inclined to believe that Hinrichs was part of a larger plot.
UPDATE: Where is MSM on this? Point Five has the answer.
UPDATE II: Thank you John at Powerline for the link.
UPDATE III: Michelle Malkin has a newer roundup here. And Classical Values is following the story closely with what I think is the appropriate amount of skepticism.
UPDATE 12:33 P.M: Due to a comment and trackback spam problem unrelated to this specific post, these two features may be temporarily disabled throughout the day. Apologies in advance.
UPDATE 3:30: Police confirm Hinrichs under investigation. Scroll down for update.
Norman, Oklahoma, police confirmed in a press conference today that JOEL HENRY HINRICHS III was being investigated because he had acted suspiciously while attempting to buy ammonium nitrate fertilizer at an area store. Channel 5 Oklahoma:
At a 2 p.m. news conference, Norman Police Department spokesman J.D. Younger said an off-duty, plainclothes officer overheard a conversation Joel Henry Hinrichs III had with the proprietor of a Norman feed store last Thursday at 4 p.m. The conversation centered on a purchase of ammonium nitrate fertilizer.
"I think it's important to note that it's not a criminal activity to purchase ammonium nitrate fertilizer," Younger said.
However, he noted that the context of Hinrichs' conversation with a manager of Ellison Feed & Seed was suspicious. Younger indicated that the off-duty officer reported that Hinrichs asked about different types of fertilizer and the concentration of ammonium nitrate in each.Why is this suspicious? Because ammonium nitrate plus + diesel fuel = Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building bomb!
What came of the investigation?
The officer, according to Younger, took a mental note of the conversation and its context, and then followed Hinrichs outside. The officer took down the student's license tag number, contacted Norman's police department dispatch operation, had Hinrichs checked for outstanding warrants -- but, alas, found nothing.
The officer continued his investigation Thursday night, but could only conclude that Hinrichs was an OU student and lived in university-subsidized housing. The officer did contact a Norman bomb squad technician; however, the plan at that time was for the off-duty officer to complete a written report for submission the following Monday.So, an off duty cop thought the conversation he heard between Hinrichs and the store owner was suspicious enough to consult the bomb squad and start an investigation? Interesting, indeed.
Of course, Hinrichs blew himself up before the investigation could be completed. I wonder who the officer would have called next once he found out that Hinrichs roommate was a Pakistani national, jihad material was in his apartment, and neighbors claim Hinrichs attended a local mosque?
Still almost no MSM coverage of this story.
Islamic Terrorism in Oklahoma Likely
As more details become public about suicide bomber Joel Henry Hinrichs III, who blew himself up outside of a University of Oklahoma football game last Saturday, more and more evidence suggests that he may actually have been part of a larger plot.
Earlier reports indicated that Hinrichs had Islamic jihad material in his apartment that referenced bomb-making manuals. We downplayed that fact as not really evidence of a wider plot. After all, if you want to blow yourself up why not consult with the experts--Islamic terrorists?
But other facts have come to light which raise suspicions.
For an excellent map outlining the scene of the crime and Hinrichs' proximity to these places, please see this post at Zombietime. Other good roundups of the facts can be found at Gateway Pundit, The Politburo Diktat Michelle Malkin, and many many others.
1) Hinrichs seems to have converted to Islam and attended a nearby Islamic center. (see map at Zombietime) However, the president of the University of Oklahoma Muslim Studeant Association denies that Hinrichs was a Muslim. Other witnesses, though, claim Hinrichs was a frequent visitor to the mosque.
2) It appears that the Islamic center is affiliated with the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), a group with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and which has been investigated for funding terrorism by Congress.
3) The ISNA linked mosque may have been the same one attended by Zacharias MOUSSAOUI. Much more on the Zacharias MOUSSAOUI link at Cao's blog.
4) Hinrichs' roomate, Fazal M. Cheema, was a Pakistani national and neighbors claim the apartment was a center of activity for Middle Easterners. He is described as a 'really nice guy' by his friends. Unfortunately, all terrorists are described this way by their friends. NEIN now reports that Cheema and his associates may have been on the FBI's terror watch list.
5) Hinrichs attempted to buy a large amount of ammonium nitrate, a key ingredient in large explosives such as the first World Trade Center bombings or the Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building bombing.
6) Hinrichs was later known to the FBI because of his attempted purchase.
7) Evidence at the scene of the bombing suggests that shrapenel was part of the bomb. This is a strong indication that Hinrichs planned to kill more than himself.
8) Witnesses now report Hinrich may have attempted to enter the OU football game, but that he fled when security attempted to check his backpack
9) Northeast Intelligence Network, who's earlier reports we had dismissed because of that website's long track record of alarmism but who are increasingly looking like they got this one right, claims a source is telling them:
It appears that HINRICHS was part of a larger plan that included members of an Islamic terrorist cell based in and around the Norman and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area. As a Caucasian, it was much easier for him to obtain the materials needed to create a large bomb, act in concert with members of the local terrorist cell, and strike when relative calm was the word of the day.All of this evidence suggests that there may have been a wider plot by Islamic terrorists to use Joel Henry Hinrichs III as a suicide bomber in exactly the same way as terrorists use suicide bombers around the world: to kill civilians. Hinrichs, like so many other suicide bombers, failed in his attempt and killed only himself.
A word of caution is necessary here. It is definitely possible that Hinrichs did act alone and was just a sad nut with a death wish. Some of the facts presented above could turn out to be untrue, and even if true could be interpreted in a number of ways. We'll just have to wait and see. But, as of this writing I am inclined to believe that Hinrichs was part of a larger plot.
UPDATE: Where is MSM on this? Point Five has the answer.
UPDATE II: Thank you John at Powerline for the link.
UPDATE III: Michelle Malkin has a newer roundup here. And Classical Values is following the story closely with what I think is the appropriate amount of skepticism.
UPDATE 12:33 P.M: Due to a comment and trackback spam problem unrelated to this specific post, these two features may be temporarily disabled throughout the day. Apologies in advance.
UPDATE 3:30: Police confirm Hinrichs under investigation. Scroll down for update.
Norman, Oklahoma, police confirmed in a press conference today that JOEL HENRY HINRICHS III was being investigated because he had acted suspiciously while attempting to buy ammonium nitrate fertilizer at an area store. Channel 5 Oklahoma:
At a 2 p.m. news conference, Norman Police Department spokesman J.D. Younger said an off-duty, plainclothes officer overheard a conversation Joel Henry Hinrichs III had with the proprietor of a Norman feed store last Thursday at 4 p.m. The conversation centered on a purchase of ammonium nitrate fertilizer.
"I think it's important to note that it's not a criminal activity to purchase ammonium nitrate fertilizer," Younger said.
However, he noted that the context of Hinrichs' conversation with a manager of Ellison Feed & Seed was suspicious. Younger indicated that the off-duty officer reported that Hinrichs asked about different types of fertilizer and the concentration of ammonium nitrate in each.Why is this suspicious? Because ammonium nitrate plus + diesel fuel = Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building bomb!
What came of the investigation?
The officer, according to Younger, took a mental note of the conversation and its context, and then followed Hinrichs outside. The officer took down the student's license tag number, contacted Norman's police department dispatch operation, had Hinrichs checked for outstanding warrants -- but, alas, found nothing.
The officer continued his investigation Thursday night, but could only conclude that Hinrichs was an OU student and lived in university-subsidized housing. The officer did contact a Norman bomb squad technician; however, the plan at that time was for the off-duty officer to complete a written report for submission the following Monday.So, an off duty cop thought the conversation he heard between Hinrichs and the store owner was suspicious enough to consult the bomb squad and start an investigation? Interesting, indeed.
Of course, Hinrichs blew himself up before the investigation could be completed. I wonder who the officer would have called next once he found out that Hinrichs roommate was a Pakistani national, jihad material was in his apartment, and neighbors claim Hinrichs attended a local mosque?
Still almost no MSM coverage of this story.
