The winning Mohamad by ex-Muslim Faustin. |
Phoenix resident and Islam convert Elton Simpson, 30, and his Muslim roommate, Nadir Soofi, 34, tried to shoot their way into a politically charged art show and conference at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas, on Sunday night, a source said.
“We think their strategy was to get to the event center,” Joe Harn, public information officer for the Garland Police Department, said at a press conference Monday. He didn’t name the men or call it a terrorist attack.
But officials believe Simpson sent out a series of terrorism-related tweets ahead of the shooting — including one with the hashtag #Texasattack that was sent about a half hour before the two gunmen were shot and killed by officers defending the events space.
Elton Simpson. |
That same account had also published messages that were sympathetic to terror groups, including ISIS. And it encouraged people to follow another account,“AbuHussainAlBritani,” belonging to a British jihadist who posted messages linking the Texas shooting to the Islamic State, Fox News reported.
“Allahu Akbar!!!!! 2 of our brothers just opened fire at the Prophet Muhammad art exhibition in texas!” one tweet read. “They Thought They Was Safe In Texas From The Soldiers of The Islamic State,” read the last tweet from the account, which has since been deleted.
Nadir Soofi. |
FBI agents began investigating Simpson in 2006, and, at one point, even hired an informant at Simpson’s mosque to find if he had any terrorist plans, according to court records. Simpson was recorded telling the informant he had wanted to travel to Somalia, via South Africa, to join radical fighters, federal agents said. “If you get shot, or you get killed, it’s [heaven] straight away”…. “[Heaven] that’s what we here for…so why not take that route?”’ Simpson allegedly told the informant.
Simpson was convicted in 2010 of lying to federal agents about his plans to travel to Africa, but a judge ruled the government did not adequately prove he was going to join a terror group there. He was sentenced to three years’ probation.
Simpson’s father, Dunston, told ABC News on Monday his son had “made a bad choice.” “We are Americans and we believe in America,” he said, adding that Simpson had been working in a dentist’s office.
The bloodshed in Texas started on Sunday night when Simpson and Soofi got out of their car outside of the events center around 6:50 p.m. and started shooting at two cops with their assault rifles, Harn said.
One of the officers, a traffic cop, fired back at them with his service weapon, killing both Simpson and his accomplice. “He did what he was trained to do and under the fire that he was put under he did a very good job and probably saved lives,” Harn said.
Two dead Muslim thugs under blue tarpaulin. |
A bomb squad searched the shooters’ car for more weapons, but only found luggage inside. FBI agents and a bomb squad were at Simpson’s home in an apartment complex in north Phoenix on Monday — after agents sent a robot into his apartment to conduct an initial search.
The “Draw Mohammed” event was sponsored by Pamela Geller, a New York woman who has crusaded to post anti-Islam ads on subways and buses. Because of the sensitive nature of the event — officially called the Mohammed Art Exhibit and Cartoon Contest — Geller’s organization was required by the city to hire the large additional security force, which cost $10,000, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Depictions of Muhammad are considered
blasphemous by many Muslims.
The Islamic Community Center of Phoenix
however is controlled by the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT) which is a
Muslim Brotherhood front group. It featured an appearance by terrorist
supporter Lauren Booth, a convert to Islam and employee of Iran’s PressTV, who
has propagandized on behalf of Hamas and Hezbollah, terror groups sponsored by
Iran. Booth has spread the claim that the Boston Marathon bombing was staged.
Booth’s appearance there was to
fundraise for the Muslim Legal Fund of America which, among other things, has
funded the defense of Islamic Jihad leader Sami al-Arian. The MLFA is also
involved in the Holy Land Foundation Hamas funding case and terrorists involved
in the Fort Dix plot to “kill as many soldiers as possible”.
Greenfield also noted something unusual
about the second gunman. Well, maybe not unusual for a radically, pious Muslim
— He hated dogs:
Nadir Soofi appears to be a Pakistani
immigrant, he graduated from a Pakistani school, and spent time on social media
ranting about America, Israel and dogs. Soofi was not a fan of dogs, writing,
“Man can protect his life and health by keeping a safe distance from dogs. He
should not hug them, play with them, or let them come close to children.
Children should be taught not to play with dogs or to fondle them.”
Looks like Soofi was suffering from the
usual Islamic Dogophobia.
Dutch amti-Islam politician Geert Wilders at the Texas Draw-Mohamad event. |
Two dead Muslim thugs in bodybags. |