John Allen Muhammad

John Allen Muhammad (born John Allen Williams on December 31, 1960) carried out the Beltway sniper attacks in an apparent attempt to extort $10 million dollars through terrorism. He and his younger partner Lee Boyd Malvo were arrested in connection with the attacks on October 24, 2002, following tips from alert citizens.

Background

Muhammad is a U.S. Army veteran of the Gulf War.

Related Topics:
U.S. Army - Veteran - Gulf War

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Following leads from the sniper attacks, his previous residence in Washington was searched, revealing evidence of sniper rifle use. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was taken into custody soon thereafter along with 17-year-old Lee Boyd Malvo. The gun found in his possession was determined to be the same as the gun used in the sniper attacks.

Related Topics:
Sniper rifle - Lee Boyd Malvo

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Born John Allen Williams, he changed his name to Muhammad in October 2001. He is a member of the Nation of Islam, a religious black separatist group which most Muslims worldwide reject for views they consider racist or otherwise against the spirit of Islam.

Related Topics:
October 2001 - Nation of Islam - Muslim - Racist - Islam

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Friends say Muhammad helped provide security for Louis Farrakhan's "Million Man March" in 1995, but Farrakhan has publicly distanced himself and his organization from Muhammad's actions.

Related Topics:
Louis Farrakhan - Million Man March - 1995

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After his arrest, authorities also learned that Muhammad admired and modeled himself after Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, and approved of the September 11 attacks. One of Malvo's psychiatric witnesses testified in his trial that Muhammad had indoctrinated him into believing that the proceeds of the extortion attempt would be used to begin a new nation of only pure black young persons somewhere in Canada.

Related Topics:
Osama bin Laden - Al Qaeda - September 11 attacks - Canada

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Muhammad is twice divorced, and under a restraining order from his former wife, Mildred Muhammad. He was arrested on federal charges of violating the restraining order against him, by possessing a weapon.

Related Topics:
Divorce - Restraining order

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In the Army, Muhammad was trained as a mechanic, truck driver and specialist metalworker. He qualified as an expert with the M-16, the Army's standard infantry rifle. This rating is the Army's highest of three levels of marksmanship for a typical soldier. To receive an expert badge for the M-16, Muhammad would have had to hit 36 out of 40 targets, ranging from 50 to 300 meters during his yearly qualification on the M-16. The Bushmaster, allegedly used to commit the shootings, is a civilian version of the M-16. All the sniper victims—10 dead, three wounded—were hit by a single .223-caliber shot.

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See also main article Beltway Sniper Attacks

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Muhammad was caught after police followed a lead in which an anonymous caller (presumably Muhammad) told a priest to tell the police to check out a killing in Montgomery, Alabama. Federal officials were able to connect such a killing to Jamaican immigrant, Lee Boyd Malvo, whose fingerprints were on file with the INS. Malvo was known to associate with Muhammad. They had lived together in Bellingham, Washington, where Malvo used the alias John Lee Malvo.

Related Topics:
Priest - Montgomery, Alabama - Jamaica - Lee Boyd Malvo - INS - Bellingham, Washington

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