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Little Rock shooter may have had other targets


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Reported by: David Goins
Updated: 6/03/2009 7:14 pm Published: 6/03/2009 8:54 am

The FBI tells FOX News Abdulhakim Muhammad conducted Google Map searches of several sites in other U.S. cities before his arrest Monday.

The FBI and the department of homeland security sent out an e-mail alert Tuesday night to local and state law enforcement agencies.

Right now Muhammad remains in custody at the Pulaski county jail facing capital murder charges in the shooting death of Private William Long.

Shooter may have had more targets

A senior U.S. official tells FOX News Abdulhakim Muhammad had more targets on his mind and in his computer.

Muhammad faces a capital murder charge for Monday's shooting at the Army/Navy recruiting office. This new information suggests he may be part of a larger plot to carry out attacks.

Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas told FOX16 News any information coming from the FBI, he's leaving to the FBI, referring to an intelligence memo that highlights locations Abdulhakim Muhammad was searching on his computer seized by police.

According to a joint FBI-Homeland Security intelligence memo obtained by FOX News, officers found maps to Jewish organizations, a Baptist church, a child care center, and military recruiting centers.

Not just here in Little Rock, but Memphis, Atlanta, Louisville, Philadelphia and New York too.

Information federal authorities didn't want leaked out. The FBI saying Wednesday afternoon, "This message was intended for law enforcement, not the public; no further information will be released to the media"

What about Little Rock police? "We know what he did that day. What he may have wanted to do, what he may have thought about doing or thought about doing over the last several years is really a lot of speculation at this point," Thomas said.

Chief Stuart Thomas maintains 23-year old Abdulhakim Muhammad acted alone when he shot 2 soldiers outside the Army/Navy recruiting station. "If we had or perceived that there was a continuing threat or another suspect or any individual that we were looking for in association with this investigation we would have it out front fast."

Detectives are backtracking records on Muhammad, originally Carlos Bledsoe from Memphis, converting to Islam five years ago. "He's radicalized his behavior over a period of time. Obviously he's had contacts somewhere along the way and we're looking into that," Thomas tells us.

Heightened concern over what Muhammad may have been planning and relief Little Rock police arrested him 12 minutes after his attack.

FBI Statement Regarding Little Rock Military Recruiting Center Shooting Investigation

Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Browne issued the following statement:

“There is an active investigation by the FBI and local authorities following the shooting at the military recruiting center in Little Rock. Given that the charged subject in this case, Carlos Bledsoe, aka Abdulhakim Muhammed, conducted Internet searches related to different locations in several U.S. cities, the FBI and DHS provided an advisory message to our law enforcement partners on the situation. Out of an abundance of caution, the FBI contacted the appropriate individuals at those locations researched by Bledsoe. This message was intended for law enforcement, not the public; no further information will be released to the media at this time.”

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The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of FOX16 - Breaking News and Weather to Plan Your Day for Little Rock and Central Arkansas

alliej - 6/3/2009 12:16 PM
0 Votes
hang im high on the court house law.

cidici - 6/3/2009 11:31 AM
0 Votes
is anybody else as sick of the so called religon of peace as i am...where is the muslim outrage...where is outrage from our president for that matter

motomom08 - 6/3/2009 10:02 AM
1 Vote
Huh....just fry him! These people who are commiting these get off so easy!! Drop him in Iraq and let his military family deal with him!!

ssgwmtms - 6/3/2009 9:41 AM
1 Vote
When he gets to prison the other inmates will deal with him in there own way. They do have a code of conduct about such things as this.

opal1955 - 6/3/2009 9:34 AM
1 Vote
Life is to good for him Let the military dill with him there law is harder than ours.
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