Posted on 03/04/2006 7:06:50 AM PST by Pyro7480
Religious Terrorism Strikes Chapel Hill
by Jillian Bandes
Posted Mar 04, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- With backpacks as physical shields, University of North Carolina students are now called to defend themselves against religious terrorism while they walk the halls of their school.
Earlier today, just before high noon, Mohammed Reza Taheriazar, 22, bulldozed the center of UNC's main campus with a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee -- the biggest SUV he could find -- in order to retaliate against treatment of Muslims around the world, he said. Taheriazar, a recent graduate, sent six to the hospital with injuries and hit three others in what is not only a tragedy for the Chapel Hill community but an sad example of an ideological difference digressing into violent conflict.
Hundreds of students gathered to see what happened in what was first deemed a freak accident. Then, reports came in that a bomb squad, state and federal Bureaus of Investigation, and local Carrboro police were surrounding what is believed to be Taheriazar's apartment.
A bomb threat had been made to his residence in the University Commons complex Friday afternoon, a popular apartment complex for students. Forces entered the Building D at approximately 5:28 p.m., and a booming noise was heard in the surrounding area. No explosion was observed.
Though his connection to the bomb threat remained uncertain as of this writing, Taheriazar’s intentions with his Jeep Grand Cherokee were made chillingly clear after authorities questioned him. He said his goals were to inflict maximum damage to the students of UNC in order to seek retribution for the treatment of Muslims around the world.
This claim is sickeningly fitting given recent events on the UNC campus.
In the wake of the Danish cartoon controversy, UNC's school newspaper, the Daily Tar Heel, ran a knockoff cartoon picturing the prophet Muhammad wrestling with the question of what Islam truly stands for and how it is represented in the media. The cartoon, printed on February 9, elicited wide criticism from the Muslim Student Association and the group Student Action with Workers, which staged a sit-in on the Daily Tar Heel’s offices demanding an apology from the paper. Opinion Editor Chris Cameron and Editor in Chief Ryan Tuck refused to submit to their demands.
Months prior, I was dismissed from my position as weekly columnist after writing in support of racial profiling of Arabs in airports around the anniversary of 9/11. National media descended on the school and letters to the editor papered the walls of the Daily Tar Heel's offices twice over, and the local Muslim community was outraged. Despite my denials, the Daily Tar Heel leadership maintains I was dismissed for quoting Arab students out of context.
In an official statement, the Muslim Student Association called the decision to print the Daily Tar Heel cartoon a misuse of freedom of the press to "offend and further only intolerance and disrespect," and that "such actions undermine the environment of diversity and multiculturalism" otherwise promoted at UNC's liberal campus.
Sarah Shields, associate professor of history and one of UNC's most prominent scholars on the Middle East, described the situation as this over the Progressive Faculty List serve: "In the past, I have reassured Muslim parents and applicants that the climate at UNC is very supportive. I can't do that any more."
Friday, it can only be guessed that Taheriazar took matters into his own hands.
"I heard the engine rev as he came through the Pit," said junior Tyler Daluz. "He didn't stop at all."
This horrific event has come in the wake of another tragedy in which two UNC students fell from the third story of a campus dormitory after rough playing. Keith Shawn Smith, 20, died from the fall while 19-year-old freshman Tyler Downey remains in the hospital in fair condition.
"We are still in the grieving process for our fallen student," wrote Chancellor James Moeser, and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Peggy Jablonski over the campus-wide list serve.
This is a tragedy of a distinctly different tune, however. Rare is it that an independent actor creates such a tragedy based on religious or ethnic grounds inside the U.S., not to mention on a campus full of young people.
Protests by College Republicans and others are planned for classes on Monday.
"I think what happened today shows the need for us all to unite and combat the ugly face of extremism," said Kris Wampler, a representative for UNC's Student Congress. "It especially has an effect on us because it's so close to him. It’s where we live, where we go to school, where we are every single day."
Ping!
You beat me to it...
Religion of Peace my A&&
'the little darlings' as Ann Coulter puts it, just cant seem to stay away from violence. It's like the muzzies are addicted to it or something.
Given what he said, I hope they nail his sorry @ss for attempted murder.
The east coast Communist hq will just intensify the Muslim indoctrination course they made a prerequisite.
Muslim parents? It would seem that non-Muslims are the ones at risk here.
If the circumstances were any different, you would say that he was a whacko, trying to kill one group of totally innocent people, who in fact probably agreed with him, in revenge for the actions of a completely different group of people.
The problem is, Muslims do this all the time. It's their basic reaction pattern. It's what Muhammed and Islam tell them to do.
You don't like it because the IDF has rocketed one of your terrorist pals? Well, don't try to attack the IDF. Blow up a Bar Mitzvah party and kill a roomful of kids. Pick up a baby and knock his head against a rock. Drive a car into a group of students sitting around talking.
That's the Muslim way.
I am so sick of reading how it is the fault of "intolerant" types that these creeps turn into murderers.
Want to bet the school reacts to this by prmoting an "Understand Islam" day?
Actually my thought was it will only take a few days before the professors begin asking "What did we do to provoke this? How can we change to show we are sorry for being in front of the SUV? Why must our students suffer because of George Bush? If we just become more inclusive they will love us!"
The soft sell of suicide will begin again.
And where would he get the idea that Muslims were being treated so badly?
"I think what happened today shows the need for us all to unite and combat the ugly face of extremism," said Kris Wampler, a representative for UNC's Student Congress."
Kris Wanker needs to buy a clue. What we need to unite and combat is Islam.
Trouble is, most of Islam doesn't really want the rest of us to "understand" what they're about. If we did, it would result in mass explusion, at the very least. So everyone (for the most part) pretends that it's a "religion of peace."
It will be back.
Round em up and send 'em home!
I read yesterday they have a mandatory course about "understanding islam". Started it after 9-11.
He chose the one place in North Carolina where he wouldn't be beaten or shot for doing this.
I hope FR doesn't get attacked < /sarcasm >.
Peace through submission, through submission. Submit or die infidel dogs. That is how peace is achieved.
I guess he was too anxious to wait for the explosives for the Jeep.
"Kris Wanker needs to buy a clue. What we need to unite and combat is Islam."
Islam/Extremism
6 of one half dozen of the other.
What I wanna know is what the hell has NC sunk to such that the punishment/trial/charges of this guy is even under debate? How did he make it out of the car alive with a crowd around there? Even Richard Reid got a little "Airplane" roughup treatment.
Hope they come out with details on this, but I won't hold my breath.
Huh? Sarah, you're pulling my leg, right?
Another screw-up by the government who refuses to enforce our border laws.
I find it very interesting that all the links in this article work except for the "Progressive Faculty List serve." How quickly certain libs must want to disassociate themselves from this story.
Disaffected Muslim yoot in a SportYoot.
Yes, indeeeed. Death is verrrry peacefulll ...
Maybe they'll find links to Al Qaeda or Hamas on that guy's laptop...BING! TERRORIST! LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE! BUH BYE!!!
Islamists must KNOW they face certain and immediate death when they pull that lunatic cult $hit in this country....
If the State won't "deal" with them sufficently to deter them, the citizens must.
Main Entry: vig·i·lan·te
Pronunciation: "vi-j&-'lan-tE
Function: noun
Etymology: Spanish, watchman, guard, from vigilante
vigilant, from Latin vigilant-, vigilans:
a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily (as when the processes of law appear inadequate; broadly : a self-appointed doer of justice); - vig·i·lan·tism /-'lan-"ti-z&m/ noun
Semper Fi
Religion of Peace El Presidente?
Liar.
At least the guy wasn't white, straight, and Christian - we have enough hate crimes as it is.
Never, ever, forget.
Just as I was starting to complain that the national media is silent about this, Tony Snow came on FoxNews and covered it.
Don't most rental car agencies require renters to be at least 25? IIRC this car was rented from Enterprise.
Exactly! This is more than an "ideological difference", Islam intends to conquer the world and set up a Caliphate; and kill all those who refuse to convert. Those lefty wackjobs had better wake up and realize what's going on...this goes beyond ideology-it's a religious conflict, so the irreligious won't recognize the danger until it's too late.
Maybe young Mohammed Reza Taheriazar was driven bonkers by the shame of having been named for a pedophile. I suggest an insanity defense.
Yeah, Enterprise rents to people under 25.
Thank you, very kindly.
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