The Seattle Times (h/t Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch) has more background on Naveed Afzal Haq, the man who yesterday shot six women, one fatally. We learn that his father was a founder of a local Islamic center; he was more studious and serious than the average high school kid; he has a pending indecent exposure; he is licensed to carry a concealed weapon; he is single, childless and may currently be jobless; his landlady thought he had recently gone to Pakistan; and he often talked with a neighbor about guns, politics and his disdain for President Bush. Details here:
A law-enforcement source identified the arrested suspect as Naveed Afzal Haq, 30, who until recently had lived in Everett, and said Haq apparently has a history of mental illness.
Court records show Haq has a charge of lewd conduct pending against him in Benton County.
The shooting came a day after the FBI had warned Jewish organizations nationwide to be on alert after Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon and al-Qaida’s second in command urged that the war raging in the Middle East be carried to the U.S. However, the law-enforcement source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there is no evidence Haq was involved with any group.
“He said he hates Israel,” said the source, who is part of the Seattle Joint Terrorism Task Force, which was called in to help investigate the shootings.
David Gomez, the assistant special agent-in-charge of the Seattle FBI office, said there is “nothing to indicate he is part of a larger organization.””We believe he is a lone individual with antagonism toward this organization,” said Gomez….
Haq’s parents were shaken by the news that their son was in custody for the shootings, said Haq’s Kennewick defense attorney, Larry Stephenson.”I talked to his father, and his mother is crying, and they don’t know what is going on,” Stephenson said. “They are very, very shook up. They haven’t been able to reach their son.”
Haq had been charged with misdemeanor lewd conduct in Benton County for allegedly exposing himself in a public place in Kennewick, Stephenson said. He declined to elaborate. The charge is punishable by up to a year in jail.
The case had been scheduled to go to trial in Benton County District Court on Thursday, but was postponed.Stephenson said he does not believe Haq is married or has children. Stephenson said he did not believe Haq had a job.Haq went to college, Stephenson said, but he declined to say where.
Asked if Haq had any mental-health issues, Stephenson said he couldn’t comment. “I’m really not OK to discuss that,” he said.
Haq’s father, Mian A. Haq, was a founding member of the Islamic Centre of Tri-Cities in Richland, said center member Youseff Shehadeh. He described the younger Haq as a loner who attended holidays at the center but was barely involved in recent years.
Naveed Haq’s parents moved into a new suburb in Pasco less than three years ago after living in nearby Richland for more than a decade, said Maureen Hales, a neighbor.Mian Haq was involved in an Islamic center in Richland, but he did not discuss his religion with his neighbors, said Hales.
She said she had not seen Naveed Haq, but found his parents and his younger brother, Hasan, to be “quite enjoyable.” The two families exchanged food, and Maureen Hales said she watches the Haqs’ house when they’re away.
Naveed Haq lived in an apartment building at 2924 Nassau St. in Everett until about two weeks ago, when he abruptly left, said tenant Chris Richey. The landlady told Richey that Haq was heading to Pakistan. Richie often talked with Haq about guns and politics, though little stuck out. Richey said Haq didn’t like President Bush.
Haq told Richey he owned a .45-caliber handgun, which he kept locked up in safety deposit box.
The law-enforcement source said Haq had a license to carry a concealed weapon.”There was something strange about him,” Richey said. “There was something about him I didn’t like.”
A friend, Andres Atencio, 29, a real-estate agent in Maple Valley, said he lost touch with Haq after high school. He described Haq as studious and friendly.”He was pretty much just a normal guy. He was a little more toward the academic side than the average high-school person,” Atencio said. “He was the kind of guy when you talked to him he was always laughing … not outgoing but not reclusive either.”