Jihad a Change of Heart
Pelham NH native Daniel Maldonado had second thoughts about global jihad, death to America, etc., before he was captured, says his public defender. Although he told the FBI after he was captured he thought 9/11 was great and he was ready to kill Americans.
But it turns out al-Qaeda is not a family friendly organization, and that gave Maldonado pause. He had taken his wife and kids off on jihad with him. She caught malaria and died. He wasn’t confident the Umma would take take of his kids if he copped it. He may applaud the murder of innocent Americans, but he’s a responsible dad, by the beard of the Prophet!
During the probable cause and detention hearing Tuesday, prosecutors and FBI agents told (U.S. Magistrate) Botley that Maldonado should be held without bond because of the training he received.
“Why do you train on weapons and explosives? You train on them to kill people,” said federal prosecutor Gary Cobe.
FBI agent John McKinley testified Maldonado received training in Somalia on how to use an AK-47 assault rifle, spent time with a bombmaker and helped interrogate a flight attendant who was suspected of being a spy and later killed.
McKinley said many of the people who were at these training camps were al-Qaeda members, including one man who is a suspect in the 1998 al-Qaeda bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
But one of Maldonado’s attorneys, federal public defender Brent Newton, argued his client never intended to go to Somalia to meet with al-Qaeda members.
“You don’t have any proof he intended to join al-Qaeda?” Newton asked McKinley.
The FBI agent said there was no proof of that but Maldonado was aware there were al-Qaeda members at the camps and he said that Maldonado went to Somalia to fight an armed “jihad” for a true Islamic government.
“At the time he was arrested, hadn’t he renounced his prior beliefs on jihad?” Newton asked.
McKinley said he didn’t know if that was true but that Maldonado had expressed disillusionment because he thought the people running the training camps had lied to him about how they would take care of his family.
When Maldonado moved to Somalia, he brought along his wife and three children. His wife later died of malaria and his children are now being taken care of by his parents in New Hampshire, McKinley said.
Maldonado also contracted malaria, which stopped his training. He also became malnourished, losing 60 pounds while in Somalia.
… McKinley said he didn’t know why Maldonado became angry with the United States and decided to get training from al-Qaeda.
People who knew Maldonado in New Hampshire described him as a charismatic, outspoken person who became arrogant and a religious zealot after converting to Islam, according to media reports.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 12:31 am on Wednesday, February 21, 2007
7 Responses to “Jihad a Change of Heart”
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February 21st, 2007 at 12:57 am
What? No health care plan or government USDA nutrition guidelines with AQ? Next you’re going to tell me they don’t abide by OSHA workplace safety requirements either!
February 21st, 2007 at 3:09 am
U.S. Constitution - Article 3, Section 3 - Treason:
Article 3 - The Judicial Branch
Section 3 - Treason
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
February 21st, 2007 at 3:22 am
Nibbles — 2007.02.21
Just read ‘em. Maybe I’ll find time to do more with ‘em later. (I’m not feeling well today and will be doing a lot more nibbling and a lot less biting than normal.) Jihad A Change of Heart
February 21st, 2007 at 3:23 am
Bill’s Nibbles — 2007.02.21
Some Bill’s Bites posts, some things I excerpted and linked but I’m sending you to the original post. I may rearrange the order of the items within this post as I add new things that I think belong above the
February 21st, 2007 at 4:36 am
American’s live in tremendous luxury, a luxury many don’t understand to be such; they are thus able to afford to take on an attitude against all that makes it possible. The true color of the grass on the other side of the fence often occasions a rude awakening.
February 21st, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Responsible dad, huh? Well, he can forget about his kids now.
February 21st, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Maldonado aka Daniel Aljughaifi, huh? Think they may have misspelled that, Daniel Alijustgoofi. There, that’s better.