This week an UNC student intentionally drove a SUV through a crowd of students on campus injuring many. Most of the headlines in all the newspapers ran "SUV Plows Through A Crowd Of Students" or something similar. The true motivation behind the crime was not addressed by these headlines or stories printed in these newspapers.
The Northeast Intelligence Network reports:
Campus police said they had a suspect in custody. He was identified as Mohammed Reza Taheriazar, 23, a UNC student as recently as fall 2005. Police said they would charge the suspect with multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.
New information from the scene indicates that Taheriazar told police he was "seeking retribution for the treatment of Muslims around the world." The vehicle used in the attack was rented earlier in the day, according to police. Taheriazar reportedly told police he tried to rent "the biggest SUV he could find" to use in the attack. As he was taken into custody, a police SWAT team surrounded a Carrboro apartment complex where Taheriazar reportedly lived, based on information collected at the scene.
Most of the media ignored the motivation behind the incident except for NBC’s Today show. NewsBusters.org reports:
Who would have thought it?: in the crucial first half-hour of their respective shows this morning, Fox & Friends Weekend didn’t cover the incident at the University of North Carolina in which an Iranian drove an SUV through a crowd, injuring five people – but the Today show did.
Interviewed by Today co-host Lester Holt, one of the students who was injured stated: "I personally think it was definitely, definitely intentional, for sure."
As the injured student described the incident, involving an SUV driven by recent UNC grad Mohammed Reza Taheriazar of Iran:
"I look up and i see a car coming through in the middle of campus, which is pretty odd to begin with. I keep walking. He’s going really slow. It doesn’t seem like he has any malicious intent. All of a sudden I just hear the car’s engine rev. I look up and the car is right there coming right at me, about five feet from me. I ended up on the hood and luckily rolled off without serious injuries."
The following article, written by one of Mohammed Taheriazar’s recent instructors, sheds additional light on Mohammed’s character: http://www.cinekklesia.com/mt/archives/2006/03/v_for_vendetta_5.html
Paul,
Very interesting insight on Mohammed Taheriazar’s character. It goes to show that a terrorist insurgent may not always fit the profile of you may think a terrorist should be.