FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
I saw this in the news over the week end and it seems all news stations just seem to drop it, maybe they are afraid of backlash aganist the Muslim community? I see a bias here, do you?!?!?
FBI Joins Investigation Of UNC Hit-And-Run
Man Charged With Incident May Have Had Political Motive
POSTED: 12:30 pm EST March 3, 2006
UPDATED: 2:22 pm EST March 4, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Authorities say 23-year-old Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, who drove a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee into The Pit at the UNC-Chapel Hill campus around noon Friday, may have acted to avenge American treatment of Muslims.
Police intend to charge Taheri-azar, who graduated from UNC in December with a dual degree in psychology and philosophy, with nine counts of attempted murder and nine counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, said Capt. George Hare of the UNC Department of Public Safety.
The FBI joined the case because Taheri-azar, a native of Iran, "allegedly made statements that he acted to avenge the American treatment of Muslims. The ongoing investigation will work to confirm this," said Special Agent Richard Kolko, an FBI spokesman in Washington.
Last month, Muslim students at UNC protested the publication in The Daily Tar Heel student newspaper of an original cartoon depicting the prophet Muhammad. Islam is interpreted to forbid any illustrations of Muhammad for fear they could lead to idolatry. The recent publication of a series of cartoons of Muhammad in European newspapers sparked violent protests in the Middle East and elsewhere.
The Muslim Students Association, which was among the leading critics of the cartoon, said Teheri-azar had never been a member of the group and denounced him on its Web site.
"Regardless of what his intentions prove to be, we wholeheartedly deplore this action, and trust that our fellow classmates will be able to dissociate the actions of this one disturbed individual from the beliefs of the Muslim community as a whole," the statement said. "Peace be upon you all."
All Injured Now Out Of Hospital
Six people -- five students and a visiting lecturer -- were taken to UNC Hospitals with minor injuries, hospital spokesman Tom Hughes said. All six have been treated and released. Three other people declined treatment on the scene, according to police.
Authorities found the vehicle used in the hit-and-run on Plant Road near Franklin Street and Taheri-azar was taken into custody. Authorities said that drugs and alcohol are not believed to have been involved.
A student who witnessed the event, said that the SUV was going between 40 and 45 mph when it hit the students at the Pit, which is located in an open area surrounded by two libraries, a dining hall and the Frank Porter Graham Student Union on campus.
Campus police said Taheri-azar used an area designed to give access to Lenoir Hall to work his way to the Pit. Coming from the parking lots in the north side of Davis Library, a car could travel down the side of the cafeteria and end up in the Pit from there. Normally, there are barricades up but on Friday, they were not in place.
Mohammed Taheri-azar was taken from the UNC Department of Human Safety to an undisclosed location Friday night after his arrest in the UNC-CH incident.
Several witnesses saw the SUV as plowed through that part of campus.
"He was speeding up and swerving to hit people. One person got knocked onto the windshield, and he didn't care," said student Lauren Westafer, who saw the accident.
"I see everyone kind of part because there's a car coming through and the next thing I know, I'm on his windshield," sophomore Jeff Hoffman, his arm in a bandage, told the campus newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel.
On a sunny, cool day like Friday, the Pit is a busy center of campus activities, with students perched along the walkways and steps. Friday's noontime crowd included a gathering of candidates for Black Student Movement elections.
Nicholas Altman, who was having coffee nearby, said that one man was hit and thrown onto the hood of the SUV. That person was taken away on a stretcher, Altman said.
"I was on my phone and I heard somebody scream," Altman said. "I turned around and there was a white SUV. It looked like it hit a couple of people. One person in particular went over the hood."
Student affairs staff and counselors have been providing support to students who watched the scene unfold.
HAD A JEWISH OR CHRISTIAN US CITIZEN DID THIS TO MUSLIMS THE MEDIA WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERING THIS FOR DAYS!!! WTF?!?!?
FBI Joins Investigation Of UNC Hit-And-Run
Man Charged With Incident May Have Had Political Motive
POSTED: 12:30 pm EST March 3, 2006
UPDATED: 2:22 pm EST March 4, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Authorities say 23-year-old Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, who drove a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee into The Pit at the UNC-Chapel Hill campus around noon Friday, may have acted to avenge American treatment of Muslims.
Police intend to charge Taheri-azar, who graduated from UNC in December with a dual degree in psychology and philosophy, with nine counts of attempted murder and nine counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, said Capt. George Hare of the UNC Department of Public Safety.
The FBI joined the case because Taheri-azar, a native of Iran, "allegedly made statements that he acted to avenge the American treatment of Muslims. The ongoing investigation will work to confirm this," said Special Agent Richard Kolko, an FBI spokesman in Washington.
Last month, Muslim students at UNC protested the publication in The Daily Tar Heel student newspaper of an original cartoon depicting the prophet Muhammad. Islam is interpreted to forbid any illustrations of Muhammad for fear they could lead to idolatry. The recent publication of a series of cartoons of Muhammad in European newspapers sparked violent protests in the Middle East and elsewhere.
The Muslim Students Association, which was among the leading critics of the cartoon, said Teheri-azar had never been a member of the group and denounced him on its Web site.
"Regardless of what his intentions prove to be, we wholeheartedly deplore this action, and trust that our fellow classmates will be able to dissociate the actions of this one disturbed individual from the beliefs of the Muslim community as a whole," the statement said. "Peace be upon you all."
All Injured Now Out Of Hospital
Six people -- five students and a visiting lecturer -- were taken to UNC Hospitals with minor injuries, hospital spokesman Tom Hughes said. All six have been treated and released. Three other people declined treatment on the scene, according to police.
Authorities found the vehicle used in the hit-and-run on Plant Road near Franklin Street and Taheri-azar was taken into custody. Authorities said that drugs and alcohol are not believed to have been involved.
A student who witnessed the event, said that the SUV was going between 40 and 45 mph when it hit the students at the Pit, which is located in an open area surrounded by two libraries, a dining hall and the Frank Porter Graham Student Union on campus.
Campus police said Taheri-azar used an area designed to give access to Lenoir Hall to work his way to the Pit. Coming from the parking lots in the north side of Davis Library, a car could travel down the side of the cafeteria and end up in the Pit from there. Normally, there are barricades up but on Friday, they were not in place.
Mohammed Taheri-azar was taken from the UNC Department of Human Safety to an undisclosed location Friday night after his arrest in the UNC-CH incident.
Several witnesses saw the SUV as plowed through that part of campus.
"He was speeding up and swerving to hit people. One person got knocked onto the windshield, and he didn't care," said student Lauren Westafer, who saw the accident.
"I see everyone kind of part because there's a car coming through and the next thing I know, I'm on his windshield," sophomore Jeff Hoffman, his arm in a bandage, told the campus newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel.
On a sunny, cool day like Friday, the Pit is a busy center of campus activities, with students perched along the walkways and steps. Friday's noontime crowd included a gathering of candidates for Black Student Movement elections.
Nicholas Altman, who was having coffee nearby, said that one man was hit and thrown onto the hood of the SUV. That person was taken away on a stretcher, Altman said.
"I was on my phone and I heard somebody scream," Altman said. "I turned around and there was a white SUV. It looked like it hit a couple of people. One person in particular went over the hood."
Student affairs staff and counselors have been providing support to students who watched the scene unfold.
HAD A JEWISH OR CHRISTIAN US CITIZEN DID THIS TO MUSLIMS THE MEDIA WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERING THIS FOR DAYS!!! WTF?!?!?
