Arrested US Soldier was Contemplating Another Fort Hood Massacre

Texas police arrested a Muslim American Army private near Fort Hood, who admitted that he wanted to attack fellow soldiers at the military base Killeen, reports CNN.

Pfc. Naser Jason Abdo, who went AWOL (Absent Without Leave) earlier this month, was arrested in a motel room south of the army base and faces federal charges. Police said that at the time of his arrest they found a military uniform with Fort Hood patches, a pistol, shotgun shells and an article on "how to make a bomb in your kitchen" from the English-language Qaeda magazine Inspire. He also had more than one wall clock, a cellphone, duct tape and a shopping list for what appeared to be explosive components, the official said according to a NY Times report.

Police got the lead on Abdo when a store clerk, Greg Ebert , at Guns Galore LLC became suspicious with Abdo's purchase of 6 pounds of smokeless gunpowder, three boxes of shotgun ammunition and a magazine for a semi-automatic pistol. Moreover Ebert said that Abdo's questions indicated that he didn't know much about gunpowder. Ebert who "felt uncomfortable with his overall demeanor and the fact he didn't know what the hell he was buyin" alerted authorities.

After his arrest, Private Abdo made statements that led the police to believe that he was targeting military personnel and was acting alone said Killeen Police Chief Dennis Baldwin.

Had Abdo not been stopped, this would have been a repetition of the 2009 Fort Hood massacre, when another Amercian Muslim Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan, went on a shooting spree that killed 13 military personnel. Hasan currently faces death penalty if found guilty at his trial beginning early 2012.

Abdo who joined the Army in 2009, at the time condemned the attacks. Last summer he refused to deploy with his troops to Afghanistan citing his Muslim faith that prevented him from serving. He was granted an conscientious objector status in May but was refused discharge after he was charged with possession of child pornography. His case was referred to a general court martial. Shortly after the incident Abdo went AWOL (Absent Without Leave).