AWOL Fort Hood soldier caught with bomb materials

FBI: AWOL soldier had bomb materials near Ft. Hood
AP – 1 hr 32 mins ago

KILLEEN, Texas (AP) — An AWOL Muslim soldier who had been granted conscientious objector status earlier this year was arrested and bomb-making materials were found in his motel room near Fort Hood, the same Texas Army post where 13 people were killed in a 2009 shooting rampage blamed on an Army psychiatrist, an FBI spokesman said Thursday.


Killeen police arrested Pfc. Naser Abdo, 21, on Wednesday and agents found firearms and "items that could be identified as bomb-making components, including gunpowder," in his motel room, said FBI spokesman Erik Vasys.

A clerk at the gun store where the 2009 Fort Hood shootings suspect bought a pistol used in the attack told The Associated Press on Thursday that he alerted police after a man bought weapons and gunpowder there this week.

Greg Ebert said the man arrived at Guns Galore LLC by taxi Tuesday and bought 6 pounds of smokeless gunpowder, three boxes of shotgun ammunition and a magazine for a semi-automatic pistol, paying about $250. Ebert said he became concerned when the man asked questions indicating he didn't know much about the items.

"(We) felt uncomfortable with his overall demeanor and the fact he didn't know what the hell he was buying," Ebert said. "I thought it prudent to contact the local authorities, which I did."

Killeen police wouldn't immediately confirm Abdo was the buyer, but a U.S. official in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to talk publicly about the case, confirms Abdo bought weapons at a Killeen gun shop.

Vasys said the FBI planned to charge Abdo with possessing bomb-making components later Thursday, at which time he would be transferred into federal custody. He said there was nothing to indicate Abdo was "working with others."

Abdo has been absent without leave from Fort Campbell, Ky., since the July 4 weekend.

"I would emphasize that any threat that Abdo posed is now over," Vasys said. "Suffice it to say we're looking into all aspects of Mr. Abdo's life to determine his motivations and intentions."

The infantry soldier whose hometown the military lists as Garland, Texas, had applied for conscientious objector status last year, saying his religious beliefs would prohibit his service in any war. A military review board recommended this spring that he be separated from the Army.

The discharge was delayed after Abdo was charged with possessing child pornography. An Article 32 military hearing last month recommended Abdo for a court-martial. He has said he thought he was charged with a crime because he was seeking to leave the Army as a conscientious objector.

An Oklahoma attorney who has represented Abdo said Thursday he hasn't heard from Abdo in weeks and learned of the arrest from a Texas television station.

"I've been quite anxious to get in touch with him," said attorney James Branum.

Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan faces a possible death sentence when he is tried next year on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the 2009 rampage at Fort Hood.

The Army post issued a statement seeking to reassure the community after Abdo's arrest Thursday.

"At this time, there has been no incident at Fort Hood," the statement said. "We continue our diligence in keeping our force protection at appropriate levels."

Fort Campbell spokesman Rick Rzepka referred all questions to the Pentagon.

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Associated Press writers Diana Heidgerd in Dallas, Pauline Jelinek in Washington and Janet Cappiello in Louisville, Ky., contributed to this report.

http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-awol-soldier-had-bomb-materials-near-ft-165714560.html

*******

THE SHOP CLERK IS A NATIONAL HERO!!

 

I dunno, we always bitch when shit happens, but when its averted, the praise is silent. Greg Ebert, I salute you...you saved possibly hundreds of US Soldier's and/or civilian's lives. You will live and die a hero in my eyes.

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Soldier shouts alleged Fort Hood killer name in court

By Sandra Sanchez | Reuters – 5 hrs ago

WACO, Texas (Reuters) - Army soldier Naser Jason Abdo shouted the name of a military psychiatrist accused of a 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, during his first appearance in court on Friday on a charge related to an alleged terror plot.

Abdo, 21, was formally charged with illegal possession of a firearm two days after his arrest in a Killeen, Texas, motel room in possession of suspected bomb-making materials.

"Abeer Qassim al-Janabi Iraq 2006; Nidal Hasan, Fort Hood, 2009," Abdo shouted at the media as he was led out of the Waco courtroom.

The name Al-Janabi refers to a 14-year-old girl who was raped and murdered by American soldiers in Iraq in 2006. Several soldiers have been charged and sentenced, including a soldier from Midland, Texas.

Nidal Hasan is a military psychiatrist charged with killing 13 people and wounding 32 at a medical facility on Fort Hood in 2009. Hasan, who is in a wheelchair after being shot by police during the attack, faces court martial next year.

Abdo's outburst was the first public indication of his possible intentions when he was arrested.

After his arrest on Wednesday, he told the FBI that his plan was to attack Fort Hood and blow up a local restaurant, according to an FBI affidavit filed with the charges on Friday.

Authorities have said they expect more federal charges to follow. Another hearing was set for August 4.

Abdo is a native of the Dallas area, but authorities at first said they did not know of any connection to Killeen or why he picked Fort Hood.

Abdo has been missing from his Fort Campbell, Kentucky, post since July 4 and was being held in connection with an unrelated pornography warrant.

Abdo was granted conscientious objector status by the U.S. military earlier this year because his Muslim beliefs clashed with military action overseas. But that was suspended following the pornography charge.

He was arrested Wednesday afternoon after a call from Greg Ebert, an employee at a Killeen gun shop, who told Reuters he was concerned when Abdo bought ammunition and smokeless powder.

It was the same gun shop where Hasan bought his weapons two years ago.

An affidavit by FBI agent James Runkel said Abdo told police he intended to conduct an attack against Killeen and Fort Hood.

He also indicated in response to questions that there were explosives in his backpack and in his hotel room, Runkel said.

His backpack was searched and the officers found a handgun, ammunition, items that can be used to construct a "destructive device," and an article entitled, "Make a bomb in the kitchen of your Mom," Runkel said.

He said FBI personnel then interviewed Abdo on July 27 and he, "admitted that he planned to assemble two bombs in the hotel room using gun powder and shrapnel packed into pressure cookers to detonate inside an unspecified restaurant frequented by solders from Fort Hood."

In the brief court hearing, U.S. Magistrate Jeffrey C. Manske declared Abdo held without bond, citing a charge of absent without leave from the Army and previous charge relating to child pornography.

Abdo was stoic throughout the five-minute proceeding and was surrounded by eight U.S. Marshalls. Two marshals had to prompt him to stand when Judge Manske entered the courtroom.

Abdo answered respectfully and affirmatively when asked whether he understood the charge. The judge asked him whether he had any conditions that would impair his ability to understand the proceedings, and Abdo said "No."

(Writing by Karen Brooks; Editing by Greg McCune)