Chattanooga Shooter Followed, Downloaded Recordings from Al-Qaeda Cleric

In the aftermath of Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez‘s attack on two buildings in Chattanooga, authorities and the media repeatedly tried to determine whether he was an indoctrinated radical, or if the attack had anything at all to do with his Islamic faith. New reports indicate that the FBI found that in 2013, Abdulazeez downloaded several lectures from Anwar al-Awlaki, the radical American cleric who acted as an Al-Quada recruiter before his death.

The early signs of the Abdulazeez investigation did not point to any immediate alarms, the focus having been largely on the shooter’s actions, his acquaintances, as well as his history of depression and drug use. NBC reported that amongst the items confiscated from the shooter’s home were writings that showed Abdulazeez as suicidal, and in search of absolution for his sins.

Even after al-Awlaki’s death in 2011, his videos have managed to stay in online circulation amongst jihadi groups. ABC News reported that Abdulazeez also previously researched guides on martyrdom and how to commit violence in the name of radical Islam.

The media and law enforcement officers are also continuing to look at an extended trip that Abdulazeez took to Jordan in 2014, when he visited his uncle. The uncle was previously reported to have radical leanings, and Abdulazeez was described by friends to have never been quite the same upon his return. The uncle has since been detained and investigated, though no charges have been brought against him yet.

[image via screengrab]

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