Suspect left danger signs in Bellingham (FBI had Terror Tip on Sniper Muhammad, October, 2001!)

Bellingham Herald ^ | October 25th, 2002 | John Stark, Aubrey Cohen, & Mary Lane Gallagher

[Sabertooth]

The people at Stuart's Coffee House remember John Allen Muhammad as a quiet chess player who never wanted to be apart from his big, stuffed, heavy U.S. Army duffel bag.

At this point, nobody can prove that the bag Muhammad was lugging around contained the Bushmaster AR-15 rifle that police found in his car when he and 17-year-old John Lee Malvo were arrested at a Maryland rest stop early Thursday. By the end of the day, ballistics tests had tied that weapon to the bloody East Coast sniping spree that left 10 people dead.

[Sabertooth]

Much thanks to Freeper Eva, for turning this up!

[Sabertooth]

((((((growl)))))

[Judith Anne]

No doubt it was an innocent Islamic charity giving Mohammed all that cash, just to help out.

[SarahW]

Archer grew so suspicious of his odd behavior that he suspected him of being part of a terrorist organization, and he called the FBI. But that was in October 2001, in the aftershock of the World Trade Center massacre, and Archer doesn't think he got the feds' attention.

I felt they probably threw the note in the trash," he said.

When are they going to start taking our tips seriously?

[SauronOfMordor]

Interesting that a transient with no visible job, and who carries his possessions everywhere in his duffle bag, has so much cash to flash.

Either he was a drug dealer on the side, or he was getting financing from some organization...

Anybody got any more info on that training camp in Alabama?

[Jalapeno]

Thx, Saber.

HHL, this reminds me of a Time article I read once....

[randita]

I would be amazed if he were let into a homeless shelter without allowing a search of his bags. In my city, as much as a cigarette or cigarette lighter is not allowed into a shelter. But this shelter was in WA, so they probably allowed anything.

As far as the money goes, anyone know if Muhammad qualified for a military pension? Or he could have just gotten money by stealing things. He obviously didn't trifle himself with obeying the law.

On the news last night, it was mentioned he lived in a Caribbean country (can't recall which one) for a year in the late 90's. If he purchased property during his time there, that would explain his need to revisit to settle a real estate deal.

[SarahW]

Muhammad and Malvo reportedly began talking to people about violent plots

People who make these threats, should be believed.

[Jalapeno]

They can only take it seriously if the have the manpower. I'm sure it was low priority because they were flooded. Remember, it was October, 2001, mere weeks after 9-11.

[Miss Marple]

Thanks for posting this as a separate thread! Where did he get the money? Staying in a homeless shelter, doing odd jobs, and then flashing around wads of cash, wearing expensive gold jewelry, and flying to the Caribbean.

Handing out Islamic leaflets on the street, pretending to be a record producer, talking about anti-government plots....

Nope, not a terrorist, nope. /sarcasm

[phasma proeliator]

ping.

[Eva]

But this is Bellingham, WA, they have an FBI office in town and I don't think that they were overwhelmed with leads following the trade center bombing.

[Ben Hecks]

Good find! Where was Muhammad getting his money for all this travel? Why was he in Marion, AL?

[SarahW]

They can and should take it seriously.
These are the real dangerous people, and they are people that can be stopped.

He could have been locked up for having the gun. (that's the crime they used to hold him early yesterday.)
None of those folks had to die.

[twigs]

One of the better profilers I heard, Candace DeLong, said that she believed the perp would have said in the past the type of statements Muhammad was apparently making. Yes, these statements should be believed! And I hope that you can finally get out and make that trip to Michaels!

[bquick]

"He also passed out pro-Islamic fliers on the street from time to time, she said."

I have heard conflicting reports about the Malvo fingerprint at the Alabama liquor store. First I heard the print was on a "flier". Last night I heard "magazine"-as in ammuntion. Anyone have more info on this?

[Lysander]

Either he was a drug dealer on the side, or he was getting financing from some organization...

Naw, If he was a drug user they would have gone after him. Drug dealers are to hard to convict without sweating out a buyer.

[BreitbartSentMe]

Gee, it seems that there were a lot of tips given about these POS, sometimes to different agencies. Wouldn't it be great if there was some greater level of cooperation between agencies dealing the the issue of HOMELAND SECURITY!!! Maybe their own department or agency - with that as their only focus!!!!!

Thanks a lot, D'A$$-Hole

[twigs]

And why in the world would he even want to stay in a Christian shelter? And talk to priests?

[Eva]

Actually, now that I think about it, the FBI probably did look into the pair. They were probably the ones who reported Malvo to the border patrol. The border patrol does not usually venture as far as Bellingham without a tip, but I guess that could have come from the director of the mission, as well.