Associated Press
KILLEEN, Texas—An absentee Muslim soldier was arrested and bomb-making materials were found in his motel room near Fort Hood, the same Texas Army post where 13 people were killed in a 2009 shooting rampage blamed on an Army psychiatrist, an FBI spokesman said Thursday.
Killeen police arrested 21-year-old Pfc. Naser Abdo Wednesday after being alerted by “concerned citizens,” and agents found firearms and “items that could be identified as bomb-making components, including gunpowder,” in his motel room, said FBI spokesman Erik Vasys.
Mr. Vasys said the FBI planned to charge Pfc. Abdo with possessing bomb-making components later Thursday, at which time he would be transferred into federal custody. He said there was nothing to indicate Pfc. Abdo was “working with others.”
Pfc. Abdo has been absent without leave from Fort Campbell, in Kentucky, since early July.
“I would emphasize that any threat that Abdo posed is now over,” Mr. Vasys said. “Suffice it to say we’re looking into all aspects of Mr. Abdo’s life to determine his motivations and intentions.”
The infantry soldier, whose hometown the military lists as Garland, Texas, had applied for conscientious objector status last year, saying his religious beliefs would prohibit his service in any war. A military review board recommended this spring that he be separated from the Army.
The discharge was delayed after Pfc. Abdo was charged with possessing child pornography. A military hearing last month recommended he be court-martialed. He has said he thought he was charged with a crime because he was seeking to leave the Army as a conscientious objector.
An Oklahoma attorney who has represented Pfc. Abdo said Thursday he hasn’t heard from the soldier in weeks and learned of the arrest from a Texas television station.
“I’ve been quite anxious to get in touch with him,” said attorney James Branum.
Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan is to be tried next year on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the 2009 rampage at Fort Hood.
The Army post issued a statement seeking to reassure the community after Pfc. Abdo’s arrest Thursday.
“At this time, there has been no incident at Fort Hood,” the statement said. “We continue our diligence in keeping our force protection at appropriate levels.”
Fort Campbell spokesman Rick Rzepka referred all questions to the Pentagon.
This is the official stance of the Fort Hood Press Center:
Statement on PFC Naser J. Abdo released from Army Public Affairs:
“Private 1st Class Naser J. Abdo, age 21, was arrested on July 27. The Killeen Police Department is handling all information requests. The incident occurred in the Killeen community. U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, the KPD, and the FBI are involved in the ongoing investigation.
Abdo is assigned to and currently AWOL from Company E, 1st Brigade Combat Team (Rear Provisional), 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. He entered service in March 2009 and is from Garland, Texas.
His military occupational specialty is 11B, Infantryman. He has been at Fort Campbell since July 2009.
In June 2010, he submitted a Conscientious Objector packet that was approved in May 2011. The discharge was placed on hold pending disposition of charges of possession of child pornography that were preferred on May 13. His Article 32 hearing was completed June 15, and the investigating officer recommended referral of the charge to trial by General Court-Martial. On July 4, the Soldier’s status changed from present for duty to AWOL.
Since he is in the custody of civilian authorities, jurisdiction over any potential new charges is yet to be determined. If returned to military control, he may face additional charges including AWOL.
For further information on this Soldier, media should contact Army Public Affairs, Media Relations Division, at 703-697-5662 or 693-5084.”
