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 U.S. investigators are trying to piece together Mohammod Youssuf
Abdulazeez's travels to the region to see if he was radicalized by a
militant group such as Islamic State. But they have no evidence he
was in contact with militant groups or individuals.
On a seven-month trip to visit family in Jordan, it is uncertain how
long he may have spent in the Qatari capital, a political crossroads
in the region. Qatar is home to jihadist supporters as well as a
U.S. air base.
Abdulazeez, a Kuwaiti-born naturalized U.S. citizen, was killed in a
gunfight with police on Thursday after he sprayed gunfire at a
military recruiting center in Chattanooga, then drove to a nearby
Naval Reserve Center where he shot and killed four Marines. Three
people were wounded, including a sailor who died on Saturday.
The shooting follows a series of attacks, or thwarted attacks, in
the United States and other countries by Muslims claiming to be
inspired by Islamic State or other militant groups. Such "lone wolf"
attacks by militant, radicalized U.S. Muslims acting on their own
pose a greater risk to the country than a large-scale operation,
President Barack Obama has said.
Earlier on Monday, another source close to the probe said
investigators had evidence that the suspected gunman had online
exposure to general jihadist propaganda that may have inspired the
rampage.
But they have not turned up any specific directive or exhortation
from a militant group such as Islamic State, according to the
source, who asked for anonymity when discussing sensitive
information. Even so, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has said
it is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.
Abdulazeez apparently did not use a laptop but could have read
jihadist propaganda on his smart phone, the sources close to the
investigation and a second source told Reuters.
More details emerged on Monday about Abdulazeez's possible frame of
mind leading up to the attacks. He had drug abuse problems and was
worried about debt, according to his family and a diary he left
behind, ABC News reported, citing a family representative.
Close friends told Reuters previously that the suspected shooter
drank alcohol and smoked marijuana, had received treatment for drug
problems, and struggled to reconcile those habits with his Islamic
beliefs. His family said in a statement at the weekend that he
suffered from depression.
U.S. lawmakers said on Sunday they will examine possible
shortcomings in law enforcement or intelligence in the case, which
highlighted growing concern about possible Internet-based directives
from Islamic State leaders in Syria.
Abdulazeez, an engineer, wrote about having suicidal thoughts and
"becoming a martyr" as far back as 2013 after losing his job due to
drug use, both prescription and non-prescription, the family
representative told ABC News.
ABC did not name the family contact, who said Abdulazeez abused
sleeping pills, opioids, painkillers, marijuana and alcohol.
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ABC said that Abdulazeez was taking sleeping pills to deal with an
overnight shift at work, and was considering filing for bankruptcy
because he was thousands of dollars in debt.
In April, Abdulazeez was charged with driving under the influence.
He had faced a July 30 court date.
There is also evidence of family strife. Abdulazeez's mother filed
for divorce in 2009, alleging physical, verbal and sexual abuse by
his father, but the two eventually reconciled and the suit was
dismissed, according to court records. In her petition Rasmia
Abdulazeez also alleged that her husband Youssuf Abdulazeez had
beaten his children on occasion.
INVESTIGATION FOCUSED ON TRAVEL
Abdulazeez graduated from Red Bank High School near Chattanooga and
earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. On a resume posted on
Indeed.com, he listed three jobs since 2010, all internships.
Abdulazeez returned from a trip to Jordan in 2014 concerned about
conflicts in the Middle East and the reluctance of the United States
and other countries to intervene, according to two friends who had
known him since elementary school.
Abdulazeez went to the Middle East in 2010 and visited several
countries, one of his friends told Reuters. He then went to Jordan
in 2014 to work for his uncle, and lived with his uncle and his
grandparents there, he said. Both friends spoke with Reuters on
condition they not be named because they feared a backlash.
According to Abdulazeez's friends, he owned handguns and purchased
three assault rifles on an online site, Armslist.com, after
returning from Jordan, using them for target practice.
Friends said he had always liked shooting, starting with BB guns and
paintball, and that he enjoyed driving fast cars.
(Additional reporting by Frank McGurty; Writing by Fiona Ortiz in
Chicago; Editing by James Dalgleish and Lisa Shumaker)
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