Sniper Suspect May Be Part of Religious Sect

Associated Press ^ | 10-27-02 | BY TIM MOLLOY

[Oldeconomybuyer]

NEW YORK -- The letter left at the scene of a sniper shooting contains phrases often associated with a group that believes the black man is God and spreads its message through prison recruitment and popular hip-hop music.
    An FBI spokeswoman declined to comment Saturday on whether authorities were looking into the possibility that the writer used the language of the Five Percent movement, which teaches that education and family are of central importance. It rejects drinking, drugs and fornication, as well as most accepted history, authority and religion.
    The 39-year-old movement started as an offshoot of the Nation of Islam, but Five Percenters say they are not Muslims. The group teaches that black men are to be called "God" and black women "Earth," and that only 5 percent of the population is enlightened.
    The letter -- believed to have been written by John Allen Muhammad or Jphn Lee Malvo -- was found near one of the shootings. It demanded police refer to the author as "God," and a tarot card left near a shooting outside a school declared, "I am God."
    "I'm not saying he's a Five Percenter. I don't know that. Only that 'I am God' is something a Five Percenter might say," said Robert Walker, a consultant based in Columbia, S.C., who helps police identify gangs. "All black men who are followers and members of the Five Percenters refer to themselves as God and will even refer to someone else who is a Five Percenter as a God also."
    The letter also included the phrase "word is bond," widely used by Five Percenters, who often call their movement the Nation of Gods and Earths.
    The letter, which was reprinted in The Washington Post on Saturday, had five stars on the title page. Walker said the stars were similar to ones that symbolize children to followers of the movement.
    Walker, a former prison security coordinator, stressed that most people involved in the movement have nothing to do with crime. He said Five Percenters typically end letters with the word, "peace," which members mean as an abbreviation for "please elevate all children everywhere."
    The letter's postscript had no such good wishes: "Your children are not safe anywhere at anytime."

[piasa]

The 39-year-old movement started as an offshoot of the Nation of Islam, but Five Percenters say they are not Muslims.

A non-muslim named Mohammad?

Riiiiiight.

While Islam in the black community isn't very similar theologically to Islam in say, Arabia... it is a bizaare variant.

Obviously a devout Wahabbist wouldn't say "I am God." But no one ever said the guy was a devout Wahabbist or a conventional Muslim. He might be used by devout Wahabbists, or devout Sunnis, however... to smuggle or to kill.

[leadhead]

All of which reminds me of the dyslexic, atheistic insomniac who stayed awake all night wondering if there was a DOG.

[Moonmad27]

Wow, the writer worked very hard to prove that this is (supposedly) NOT a Muslim terrorist, since the press is so eager to downplay that! However, John Mohammed demanded that his ex-wife make his kids eat foods that were acceptable under Islam -- just one bit of evidence that says "HE'S A MUSLIM".

[randita]

From some threads last night, I learned that although the Five Percenters started out as an offshoot of the NOI and some adherents are members in a religious sense, there are a group of these people called "Jive Percenters" (in gangspeak) who are bad news. They are, in essence, a black supremecist gang. These are a very hate-filled, anti-white, violent group. There are quite a few hip hop artists (I hate to call these people artists) who adhere to this cult and promote the cult message.

From what I learned, these "jive percenters" are heavily involved in crime and drug running in NJ and NY.