Meet the founding fathers of jihad

This research was compiled by researchers of The Glenn Beck Program.

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Before the 1930’s Muslims and Jews had a much different relationship. Jews moving back to their ancestral homeland was actually looked upon favorably to many Arab leaders. That began to change in the early 1930’s. Egypt was in the middle of severe economic hardship. A man named Hassan al-Banna began to teach that reason for their suffering was because of 2 things: western influence and…..the Jews. Al-Banna was more than just an agitator. His skills as a teacher and community organizer rallied hundreds of muslims to his cause. The Muslim Brotherhood was founded on a platform of hate. Rejecting western influence, establishing the caliphate, and death in jihad for Allah was the message.

"Allah is our goal, the prophet our model, the Koran our constitution, the Jihad our path and death for the sake of Allah the loftiest of our wishes."

The Muslim Brotherhood’s radical antisemitism soon got the attention of the National Socialists in Germany. The Nazis began funding them through the German diplomatic office in Cairo. Brynjar Lia said this in his book The Society of the Muslim Brothers in Egypt:

 “Documents seized in the flat of Wilhelm Stellbogen, the Director of the German News Agency affiliated to the German Legation in Cairo, show that prior to October 1939 the Muslim Brothers received subsidies from his organisation. Stellbogen was instrumental in transferring these funds to the Brothers, which were considerably larger than the subsidies offered to other anti-British activists. These transfers appear to have been coordinated by Haj Amin el-Husseini and some of his Palestinian contacts in Cairo.”

Zionism in the 1920’s had the effect of focusing al-Banna and the Muslim Brotherhood’s cause. They would find a like minded ally in The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Amin al-Husseini.

Amin al-Husseini was fiercely opposed to Zionism and the establishment of a national home for Jewish people in Palestine. He personally led armed revolts against Jews and organized mass riots. The British sentenced al-Husseini to ten years in prison, but he fled to trans-Jordan to evade capture.

In 1921 the British were looking to appease the Arabs so they pardoned al-Husseini of his charges and offered him the highest islamic position of the time, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. It was at this time that al-Husseini began to use his position as the Grand Mufti to infuse Islam with fierce antisemitism. He made allegations that Jews were conspiring to attack the Al-Aqsa Mosque and other Muslim sites in Jerusalem. This escalated tensions further leading to riots were hundreds were killed and beaten.

In 1933, al-Husseini initiated contact with the German delegation in Jerusalem. The purpose of the meeting was to request the help of the Nazis in eliminating the Jewish threat from Palestine. What was his offer in return? “A pan-Islamic jihad” that would be in alliance with Hitler against Jews around the world.

“The Muslims inside and outside Palestine welcome the new regime of Germany and hope for the extension of the fascist anti-democratic, governmental system to other countries.”

The Grand Mufti Of Jerusalem Amin al-Husseini

The Mufti, inspired by the Hitler Youth, set of what he called the “Nazi Scouts” in an effort to bring Nazi Germany to the Middle East. They even used the swastika as their symbol. The Mufti traveled to Egypt meeting with the Muslim Brotherhood and other locations throughout the Middle East setting up similar groups. The head of the Hitler Youth, Baldur von Schirach, did the same. Funneling German funds into the Middle East, von Schirach  established the “Arab Club” in Damascus specifically to train recruits for the Mufti’s insurgency.

During this time al-Husseini continued to use his position as Grand Mufti to infuze Islam with fierce anti-Zionism. If anyone rejected these notions he would publicly ridicule them during public speeches. He founded the World Islamic Congress in addition to numerous other radical groups all across the Middle East. The most famous of these may be Izz al-Din al-Qassam’s group the “Black Hand”. Al-Qassam would later be the namesake for Hamas’ suicide bombers...the Qassam Brigades. The Mufti supplied them all with arms and weapons.

The culmination of this all was the Arab uprising in 1936. Arab militants attacked a Jewish truck convoy killing 2 Jews. A Jewish paramilitary group retaliated killing 2 Arabs. This set off the revolt. The Mufti formed a group called the Arab High Command that called for Arabs to strike back at Jews and Jewish businesses. Thousands of Jews were displaced and their farms and businesses were burned.

The British Government quickly moved in to put down the revolt. The Mufti was blamed for inciting the entire thing. He fled to Lebanon where he used Nazi funds to instigate another Arab revolt from 1937 to 1939. From Lebanon he went to Iraq where he continued to use his German connections to further antisemitism. He was one of the main supporters of the Al--Muthanna Club a pan-Arab fascist society. They, along with German ambassador Fritz Grobba developed programs to radicalize the Islamic youth modeled after the Hitler Youth.

After a failed coup attempt in Iraq al-Husseini was forced to flee yet again. This time European fascists intervened more directly. Italian MIlitary Intelligence (Servizio Informazioni Militari) smuggled the Mufti out of Iraq and into Italy.

The Mufti arrived in Rome on October 10th 1941.Just 2 weeks later he would be in meetings with Mussolini. The topic was for Axis support of an Arab nation that included Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and Transjordan. The homeland for the Jews was to be destroyed. The Jews living there...exterminated.

Al-Husseini’s proposals were accepted by the Italian foreign ministry. The Mufti was sent to Berlin to discuss his terms with Adolf Hitler himself.

Hitler made it very clear to the Mufti that, although he wouldn’t make a public statement, he supported Arab liberation. His eventual goal was to hunt down the Jews that resided in Palestine under British protection. After that, Palestine was for the Arabs.

Al-Husseini stayed on in Germany throughout the war. There he would learn radical antisemitism from those that perfected it...Hitler and the Nazis.

The Mufti wrote this in his memoirs regarding his relationship with the Nazis:

"Our fundamental condition for cooperating with Germany was a free hand to eradicate every last Jew from Palestine and the Arab world. I asked Hitler for an explicit undertaking to allow us to solve the Jewish problem in a manner befitting our national and racial aspirations and according to the scientific methods innovated by Germany in the handling of its Jews." The answer I got from the Fuehrer was: 'The Jews are yours."

The Mufti collaborated with men like Adolf Eichman (orchestrator of the holocaust) and Heinrich Himmler (head of the SS). He was taken on tours of German concentration camps. Knowing full well of Hitler’s “Final Solution” al-Husseini deliberately persuaded European leaders not to send their Jews to the national home set up in Palestine. Where did he want them sent? To Poland...Auschwitz.

To the Hungarian foreign minister:

 "I ask your Excellency to permit me to draw your attention to the necessity of preventing the Jews from leaving your country for Palestine, and if there are reasons which make their removal necessary, it would be indispensable and infinitely preferable to send them to other countries where they would find themselves under active control, for example, in Poland, thus avoiding danger and preventing damage."

In 1943 Heinrich Himmler took the Mufti completely under his wing. He asked al-Husseini to help in the creation of a Bosnian SS unit. After Bosnian Muslim clerics preached out against joining with the Nazis, he personally travelled to Sarajevo to throw the weight of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem in favor of Hitler.

"The active cooperation of the world's 400 million Muslims with their loyal friends, the German, can be of decisive influence upon the outcome of the war. You, my Bosnian Muslims, are the first Islamic division and serve as an example of the active collaboration....My enemy's enemy is my friend."

For his help in exterminating the Jews while with the SS Heinrich Himmler wrote the Mufti this letter of appreciation (telegram):

"To the Grand Mufti: The National Socialist movement of Greater Germany has, since its inception, inscribed upon its flag the fight against the world Jewry. It has therefore followed with particular sympathy the struggle of freedom-loving Arabs, especially in Palestine, against Jewish interlopers. In the recognition of this enemy and of the common struggle against it lies the firm foundation of the natural alliance that exists between the National Socialist Greater Germany and the freedom-loving Muslims of the whole world. In this spirit I am sending you on the anniversary of the infamous Balfour declaration my hearty greetings and wishes for the successful pursuit of your struggle until the final victory. Signed: Reichsfuehrer S.S. Heinrich Himmler"

Today you might notice that radical Islamic ideology sounds the same all over the world. Whether it come from Syria or Iran...Sunni or Shia. That’s because they all had the same teacher.

In 1940’s era Middle East one of the most popular things to do was to listen to radio broadcasts while at cafe’s, restaurants and public squares. Tuning in every day were thousands and thousands of Muslims all listening to a radio show broadcast from a radio tower in Zeesen, Germany. The station’s star became the most famous man in the Arab world at the time...The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Amin al-Husseini. In between Arabic music and recitations from the Koran, the Mufti mixed in anti-Semitic Nazi propaganda. Besides Hitler, no one else at the time promoted antisemitism and anti western ideology like the Mufti did. It was via the Zeesen radio transmitter that the Mufti helped to transform Islamism into the radical forms we see today. Al-Husseini skillfully blended the words of the Koran with the ideology of the National Socialists in Germany. Fierce anti-semitism, strong opposition and rejection of the western world, and a longing to create a radical authoritarian government that for them was a Sharia dominated Caliphate.

With Zeesen radio providing the inspiration and the Muslim Brotherhood’s community organizing radical Islam spread like wildfire. Muslim Brotherhood numbers went from around 1,000 just before the Arab uprising in Palestine in 1936 to hundreds of thousands by the end of WW2. When WW2 ended the Mufti attempted to flee to Switzerland but was caught and arrested by the French. They transported him to Paris and placed him under house arrest. The French, in order to improve their status in the Middle East, eventually decided to grant the Mufti amnesty and send him to Egypt. A known war criminal that led SS units, campaigned to send Jews to Auschwitz, and the head of their propaganda to the Middle East. Despite all that and multiple requests to extradite him to try him for war crimes he was still sent to Egypt.

European Nazi fascism had effectively been defeated in Europe but had now been exported to the Middle East. It should now seem obvious that it’s no coincidence how the rise of National Socialism in Europe occurred parallel with the rise of radical Islam in the early 1930’s. The Mufti’s escape to Egypt uniting him with the base of the Muslim Brotherhood sealed the deal.

The Mufti and the Muslim Brotherhood would continue to export Islamic extremism all over the Middle East.

The messages of al-Banna and Husseini influenced all the major names and groups associated with radical Islam and jihadists to this day.

Before the clerical regime of Iran took power in the Iranian Revolution in 1979 their leader, the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, was an avid listener of Zeesen Radio and a follower of Hassan al-Banna’s teachings. Khomeini was heavily influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood and translated all the works of Sayyid Qutb (Muslim Brotherhood leadership) into Persian. The modern day nation of Iran was founded on the antisemitic and jihadist principles of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Mufti Amin al-Husseini.

  • The Mufti’s cousin, Yasser Arafat, would become the head of the PLO.
  • The Muslim Brotherhood off shoot Hamas would be co founded by fellow MB member Abdullah Azzam.
  • Azzam moved to Jordan after the 6 Day War in 1967 where he led paramilitary attacks against Israel.
  • Azzam was also a professor on Sharia at the University of Jordan but was later deposed due to his radical teachings.
  • He took a position teaching Sharia at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
  • It was there that he met a young Osama bin Laden.

Bin Laden had the funds to go along with Azzam’s radical Muslim Brotherhood ideology. Together they traveled to Afghanistan to help fight the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union was defeated and retreated Azzam and Bin Laden stayed in Afghanistan. Their goal was to train fighters that would eventually go back to Palestine and fight the Israelis.

They called their group Al-qaeda.

Modern day jihadism was born, but had its ethos changed much from the 30’s and 40’s?

No.

The current leader and “Supreme Guide” of the the Muslim Brotherhood summed it up pretty nicely:

“The Jews have dominated the land, spread corruption on earth, spilled the blood of believers and in their actions profaned holy places. Zionists only understand the language of force and will not relent without duress. This will happen only through holy jihad.”

Nothing has changed.

In 2002 the state controlled Egyptian newspaper Al-Akhbar made this comment:

“The entire matter [the Holocaust], as many French and British scientists and researchers have proven, is nothing more than a huge Israeli plot aimed at extorting the German government in particular and the European countries in general. But I, personally and in light of this imaginary tale, complain to Hitler, even saying to him from the bottom of my heart, "If only you had done it, brother, if only it had really happened, so that the world could sigh in relief [without] their evil and sin.”

And this anti-Semetic and anti-western ideology is spreading.  Alfred Rosenberg, the head of the Nazi Party's foreign policy department, made this strikingly accurate prediction in 1938:

"The longer the fire continues to burn in Palestine, the stronger becomes the resistance to the Jewish regime of violence in all the Arab states and beyond that in the other Muslim countries too."

Modern day jihadists are using the same playbook, the same ideology, and the same propaganda used and taught by Nazi Germany. Not only is it “becoming stronger” as Rosenberg predicted but it’s also evolving. Al-Qaeda brought jihad global on an entirely new scale. The goal initially was this:

“We shall continue the jihad no matter how long the way, until the last breath and the last beat of the pulse - or until we see the Islamic state established.”

The evolution of radical Islam took another jump when a branch of al qaeda decided that the last portion of their mission statement should happen sooner rather than later. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Al qaeda’s affiliate in Iraq, publically announced their split from Al qaeda and established the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham. ISIS was born.

On June 28th, 2014 al-Baghdadi made it official. The Islamic State Caliphate was established. The dream that was kick started in the 30’s by men like al-Banna and the Mufti, progressed by Azzam and Bin Laden, was now a reality under Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

This evolution places significant interest on the end times.

The re-establishment of the Caliphate legitimized portions of the Koran that up until June 28th, 2014 weren’t relevant. According to Islamic teaching there will be a total of 12 legitimate caliphs. The 12th will be the last and will take Muslims to the final battle in Jerusalem. This will be the end of the world. Al-Baghdadi is now the 8th legitimate caliph. For them, it’s only a matter of time before the “armies of Rome” (the west) descend on the town of Dabiq and are conquered in a massive battle. After that an anti-Messiah will arise from the Khorosan area (Eastern Iran) and beat the caliphate all the way back to Jerusalem, initiating the end of the world.

So what does this mean?

The Islamic State is attempting to purify the world before the final battle. To do that they’re willing to call anyone that doesn’t convert and pledge allegiance to the caliph an apostate. That carries with it a death sentence. This includes other Muslims. This is a significant evolution and divergence from modern day jihadism. Not even Al qaeda was willing to go that far. They believed they were preparing for the days leading up to the re-establishment of the Caliphate. ISIS has declared that the caliphate has returned and it’s time to prepare for the next stage….the end.

 

 

Presidential debate recap: The good, the bad and the ugly

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The second presidential debate was many things--some good, some bad, but one thing was made clear: this election is far from over.

If you were watching the debate with Glenn during the BlazeTV exclusive debate coverage, then you already know how the debate went: Kamala lied through her teeth and Trump faced a three-pronged attack from Harris and the two ABC moderators. This was not the debate performance we were hoping for, but it could have gone far worse. If you didn't get the chance to watch the debate or can't bring yourself to watch it again and are looking for a recap, we got you covered. Here are the good, the bad, and the ugly from the second presidential debate:

The Good

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Let's start with what went well.

While there was certainly room for improvement, Trump's performance wasn't terrible, especially compared to his performance in other debates. He showed restraint, kept himself from being too brash, and maintained the name-calling to a minimum. In comparison, Kamala Harris was struggling to maintain her composure. Harris was visibly emotional and continued to make obnoxious facial expressions, which included several infuriating eye-rolls and patronizing smirks.

The Bad

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Despite all that, the debate could have gone much better...

While Trump was able to keep his cool during the debate, he was not able to stay on track. Kamala kept making inflammatory comments meant to derail Trump, and every time, he took the bait. Trump spent far too long defending his career and other extraneous issues instead of discussing issues relevant to the American people and revealing Kamala's failures as Vice President.

Trump's biggest blunder during the debate was his failure to prevent Kamala from leaving that debate looking like a credible option as president. Kamala was fairly unknown to the American people and had remained that way on purpose, giving only one interview after Biden stepped down from the campaign. This is because every time Kamala opens her mouth, she typically makes a fool of herself. Trump needed to give Kamala more time to stick her foot in her mouth and to press Kamala on the Biden administration's failures over the past four years. Instead, he took her bait and let her run down the clock, and by the end of the debate, she left looking far more competent than she actually is.

The Ugly

If anything, the debate reminded us that this election is far from over, and it's more important now than ever for Trump to win.

The most noteworthy occurrence of the debate was the blatantly obvious bias of the ABC debate moderators against Trump. Many people have described the debate as a "three vs. one dogpile," with the moderators actively participating in debating Trump. If you didn't believe that the media was in the back pocket of the Democrats before, it's hard to deny it now. Kamala stood on stage and lied repeatedly with impunity knowing that the moderators and the mainstream media at large would cover for her.

The stakes have never been higher. With so many forces arrayed against Trump, it's clear to see that the Left cannot afford to let Trump win this November. The shape of America as we know it is on the line. Kamala represents the final push by the globalist movement to take root and assimilate America into the growing global hivemind.

The election is far from over. This is our sign to stand up and fight for our nation and our values and save America.

Glenn: Illegal aliens could swing the 2024 election, and it spells trouble for Trump

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Either Congress must pass the SAVE Act, or states must protect the integrity of their elections — especially the seven swing states that could shift the outcome of 2024 by a hair’s breadth.

Progressives rely on three main talking points about illegal aliens voting in our elections.

The first is one of cynical acceptance. They admit that illegal immigrants are already voting but argue that there is nothing we can do to stop it, suggesting that it’s just another factor we should expect in future elections. This position shows no respect for our electoral system or the rule of law and doesn’t warrant further attention.

This election will be very similar to 2020. It’s like football — a game of inches.

The second talking point targets the right. Progressives question why Republicans care, asking why they assume illegal immigrants voting would only benefit the other side. They suggest that some of these voters might also support the GOP.

On this point, the data says otherwise.

Across the board, immigrants vote overwhelmingly for Democrats, regardless of what state they’re in. The vast majority of migrants are coming up from South America, a region that is undergoing a current “left-wing” experiment by voting for far-left candidates practically across the board. Ninety-two percent of South America’s population favors the radical left, and they’re pouring over our border in record numbers — and, according to the data, they’re not changing their voting habits.

The third main talking point concedes that illegal immigrants are voting but not enough to make a significant dent in our elections — that their effect is minuscule.

That isn’t what the numbers show either.

Texas just audited its voter rolls and had to remove more than 1 million ineligible voters. The SAVE Act would mandate all states conduct such audits, but the left in Congress is currently trying to stop its passage. Dare I say that the left's pushback is because illegal immigration actually plays in Democrats' favor on Election Day?

Out of the 6,500 noncitizens removed from the voter rolls, nearly 2,000 had prior voting history, proving that illegal aliens are voting. But do the numbers matter, or are they “minuscule,” as the left claims? Let’s examine whether these illegal voting trends can make a dent in the states that matter the most on Election Day.

The corporate legacy media agree that Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin will swing the election in November. By Election Day, an estimated 8 million illegal aliens will be living in the United States. Can these 8 million illegal immigrants change the course of the 2024 election? Let’s look at the election data from each of these seven swing states:

These are the numbers being sold to us as “insignificant” and “not enough to make a difference.” Arizona and Georgia were won in 2020 by a razor-thin margin of approximately 10,000 votes, and they have the most illegal immigrants — besides North Carolina — of all the swing states.

This election will be very similar to 2020. It’s like football — a game of inches. The progressives are importing an electorate to extend their ground by feet, yards, and often miles.

This is why Democrats in Congress oppose the SAVE Act, why the Justice Department has ignored cases of illegal voting in the past, and why the corporate left-wing media is gaslighting the entire country on its significance. This is a power play, and the entire Western world is under the same assault.

If things stay the status quo, these numbers prove the very real possibility of an election swing by illegal immigrants, and it will not favor our side of the aisle. Congress must pass the SAVE Act. If it fails, states must step up to protect the integrity of their elections — especially the seven swing states that could shift the outcome of 2024 by a hair’s breadth.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Hunter pleads GUILTY, but did he get a pass on these 3 GLARING crimes?

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Last week, Hunter Biden made the shocking decision to suddenly plead guilty to all nine charges of tax-related crimes after claiming innocence since 2018.

Hunter first tried an "Alford plead" in which a defendant maintains their innocence while accepting the sentencing, typically due to the overwhelming evidence against them. Hunter's Alford plead was not accepted after the prosecutors objected to the suggestion, and Hunter quickly pleaded guilty.

Glenn could not believe just how disrespectful this situation was to the justice system and the American people. After years of lying about his innocence, which only served to deepen the divide in our country, Hunter decided to change his tune at the last minute and admit his guilt. Moreover, many expect Joe Biden will swoop in after the election and bail his son out with a presidential pardon.

This isn't the first time Hunter's crimes have turned out to be more than just a "right-wing conspiracy theory," and, odds are, it won't be the last. Here are three crimes Hunter may or may not be guilty of:

Gun charges: Found guilty

This June, Hunter Biden was found guilty of three federal gun charges, which could possibly land him up to 25 years in prison. Hunter purchased a revolver in 2018 while addicted to crack, and lied to the gun dealer about his addiction. While Hunter could face up to 25 years in prison, it's unlikely to be the case as first-time offenders rarely receive the maximum sentence. That's assuming Joe even lets it go that far.

Tax evasion: Plead guilty

Last week, Hunter changed his plea to "guilty" after years of pleading innocent to federal tax evasion charges. Since 2018, Delaware attorneys have been working on Hunter's case, and just before the trial was set to begin, Hunter changed his plea. According to the investigation, Hunter owed upwards of $1.4 million in federal taxes that he avoided by writing them off as fraudulent business deductions. Instead, Hunter spent this money on strippers, escorts, luxury cars, hotels, and, undoubtedly, crack.

Joe's involvement with Hunter's foreign dealings: Yet to be proven

Despite repeated claims against it, there is ample evidence supporting the theory Joe Biden was aware of Hunter's business dealings and even had a hand in them. This includes testimony from Devon Archer, one of Hunter's business partners, confirming Joe joined several business calls. Despite the mounting evidence Joe Biden was involved in Hunter's overseas business dealings and was using his influence to Hunter's benefit, the Bidens still maintain their innocence.

Why do we know so much about the Georgia shooter but NOTHING about Trump's shooter?

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It's only been a few days since the horrific shooting at the Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, and the shooter, Colt Gray, and his father, Colin Gray, have already made their first court appearance. Over the last few days, more and more information has come out about the shooter and his family, including details of Colt's troubled childhood and history of mental health issues. The FBI said Colton had been on their radar.

This situation has Glenn fired up, asking, "Why do we have an FBI?" It seems like every time there is a mass shooting, the FBI unhelpfully admits the shooter was "on the radar," but what good does that do? While it is great we know everything about the Georgia shooter, including what he got for Christmas, why do we still know next to NOTHING about Trump's would-be assassin? Here are three things we know about the Georgia shooter that we stilldon't know about the Trump shooter:

Digital footprint

Just a few days after the shooting, authorities have already released many details of the Georgia shooter, Colt Gray's, digital footprint. This includes extensive conversations and photographs revolving around school shootings that were pulled from Gray's Discord account, a digital messaging platform.

Compared to this, the FBI claims Thomas Crooks, the shooter who almost assassinated Donald Trump, had little to no digital footprint, and outside of an ominous message sent by Crooks on Steam (an online video game platform), we know nothing about his online activities. Doesn't it seem strange that Crooks, a young adult in 2024 who owned a cell phone and a laptop left behind no digital trail of any relevance to his crime?

Home life

The FBI has painted a vivid image of what Colt Gray's home life was like, including his troubling relationship with his parents. They released information about his parents' tumultuous divorce, being evicted from his home, several interactions with law enforcement and CPS, and abuse. Investigators also found written documents of Colt's related to other school shootings, suggesting he had been thinking of this for some time before committing the atrocity.

In contrast, we still know next to nothing about Crooks's home life.

How he got the weapon

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Colt Gray was gifted the rifle he used in the shooting from his father for Christmas last year. We also know Colt's father is an avid hunter and would take Colt on hunting trips. In 2023, Colt was the subject of an investigation regarding a threat he made online to shoot up a school. During the interview, Colt stated he did not make the threat. Moreover, his father admitted to owning several firearms, but said Colt was not allowed full access to them. The investigation was later closed after the accusations could not be sustained.

In comparison, all we know is that Crooks stole his father's rifle and did not inform his parents of any part of his plan. We have no clue how Crooks acquired the rest of his equipment, which included nearly a hundred extra rounds of ammunition, a bullet-proof vest, and several homemade bombs. How did Crooks manage to acquire all of his equipment without the FBI taking notice?

It feels like the FBI is either incompetent or hiding important information from the American people. Or both.