Parents of ISIS Texas terrorist: Son was a beautiful caring soul

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Nadir Soofi, left, and Elton Simpson were the two gunmen in the Garland, Texas, shooting.
Nadir Soofi, left, and Elton Simpson were the two gunmen in the Garland, Texas, shooting.
On Tuesday, Azam Soofi of Overland Park struggled to make sense of it all.

“We are grieving,” he said, standing at the threshold of his home on 158th Place.

His son, Nadir Soofi, was dead. Police had identified him, along with Elton Simpson, both of Phoenix, as the two gunmen who on Sunday, firing assault rifles, tried to enter an event in Texas where cartoonists were taking part in a contest that featured drawings of the Prophet Muhammad. Both Soofi, 34, and Simpson, 30, were stopped, killed by police.

Azam Soofi, an engineer, declined to talk about the assault. He was at a loss to reconcile the boy he knew with the actions on Sunday.

“My son was a great son,” Soofi said, “a caring soul, a beautiful person. He lived a real privileged life all his life.”

Soofi said it was through news accounts that he first became aware of his son’s involvement. He was shocked.

“He was a very humble, soft-spoken person,” Soofi said of his son, who did not grow up in the Kansas City area. Azam Soofi moved here about 5 years ago.

Soofi’s wife, Nadia Azam, who later came to the door, spoke at a frustrated pitch, not at all excusing her stepson’s actions on Sunday, she said, but raising questions about the purpose of the cartoon contest.

“My question is,” she said, “what did they (the event organizers) get out of this? How was this event a productive thing for either now or in the future? How was this productive for the average U.S. citizen? Can you answer that one question? How does it make America a better place? This is what I want to know.”

She said it was not for her to judge whether the event was designed as an expression of free speech or to incite.

“That’s for scholars to debate,” she said. “But when you beef up security so much, you know that what you’re doing is either illegal or immoral.”

She continued.

“He didn’t have to do it,” she said of Nadir Soofi’s actions. “I’m not defending him. I’m not saying what he did was right or wrong. But how was this event productive? What did it accomplish?”

Federal authorities say Soofi and Simpson were wearing body armor, and one of the men shot a security officer in the leg before a Garland police officer fired on the two gunmen. After his initial shots, nearby SWAT officers also fired at the attackers. The security officer was treated at a hospital and released.

On Tuesday, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the assault, marking the first time the terror group has taken credit for an attack in the United States. But it was unclear whether the group actually directed Sunday’s shooting in the Dallas suburb or if the two gunmen were inspired by the group to act on their own.

Simpson was arrested in 2010 after being the focus of a four-year terror investigation. But despite amassing more than 1,500 hours of recorded conversations, including Simpson’s discussions about fighting nonbelievers for Allah and plans to link up with “brothers” in Somalia, the government prosecuted him on only one minor charge — lying to a federal agent. He faced three years of probation and $600 in fines and court fees.

Simpson had worshiped at the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix for about a decade, but he quit showing up over the past two or three months, the president of the mosque said.

The Kansas City Star

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55 responses to “Parents of ISIS Texas terrorist: Son was a beautiful caring soul”

  1. Hind Abyad Avatar
    Hind Abyad

    The woman who forced City transport agencies to run inflammatory ads denouncing Muslims, Pamela Geller, was the organizer of Art Retard “event”, vowed to repeat Art Retard2…..

    http://forward.com/news/307528/pamela-geller-strident-voice-sparks-debate-and-violence/?utm_

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Bringing in the ‘Big Bucks’ now … going to aim for ‘Political Force’.

  2. man-o-war Avatar
    man-o-war

    “I’m not defending him. I’m not saying what he did was right or wrong”, but what he did was wrong, very very wrong. It’s ok for you to say that. You may understand why they committed such a stupid act, but its still wrong. The other people were just some fanatical morons who want to draw pictures to piss people off, but when they get done drawing nobody is shot and most importantly nobody is dead.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      That old saying, Man-O … two wrongs don’t make a right.

    2. Hind Abyad Avatar
      Hind Abyad

      “I’m not defending him. I’m not saying what he did was right or wrong….
      May i add the rest? “But how was this event productive? What did it accomplish?
      ”I’m not his mother but first thing that came to my mind was “Art”..huh 🙂
      10.000$ prize
      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11581156/Garland-shooting-Who-is-Pamela-Geller-and-the-American-Freedom-Defence-Initiative.html

    3. MekensehParty Avatar
      MekensehParty

      I don’t think it’s a stupid act. I think it’s very courageous and mostly a defying act in a country that divines freedoms instead of figures/characters/gods…
      Throughout history you hear of this or that great artist being banned, exiled emprisonned, simply because he/she had the courage to break taboos and depict what was considered as undepictable.
      Muslims better move on, and if they don’t it’s simply their loss, they can’t win that war, they can’t stop people from imagining Mohammed however they want. The USSR tried for some 70 years to change physical reality to its population, but people at night closed their eyes and regained their freedoms where it can’t be suppressed, in their minds and imagination.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Basically, then, a 200-person ‘In Your Face’ event guaranteed to draw ire. 😉
        I think Michaelangelo argued with a Pope too … :-))))

        1. Hind Abyad Avatar
          Hind Abyad

          Michelangelo argued Art not freedom to advertise hate..you two referring to Art?

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            I’m not arguing anything … the two guys with guns didn’t even take in the ‘show’.
            Don’t see how anyone can decide without seeing … and if it’s suspect, then don’t go … but it was apparently a ‘select crowd’.
            Were they invited? Were they upset they were not invited?
            Maybe it was only the ‘invitees’ who were meant to be the targets. Who will ever know??
            Everyday in Texas …

        2. MekensehParty Avatar
          MekensehParty

          When an artist goes on stage and slips a nipple… that’s part of the artistic message. Get offended as much as you like, it happened, and you saw it (and you 5th liked it) 😉

          1. Hind Abyad Avatar
            Hind Abyad

            Show business “artist” is not ART.. Vaudeville “artists” is not Art. That’s why the definition “Fine Art”, exist.

          2. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            There are artistic messages that bounce back on certain brains and leave no effect.
            Usually such brains have been tempered with by a now notorious Dr. Maher

          3. Hind Abyad Avatar
            Hind Abyad

            Don’t expect any discussion with me.
            You’re a stupid man low moral low intelligence and bastardized culture.

          4. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            whatever you’re smoking send me some…

          5. Hind Abyad Avatar
            Hind Abyad

            You just read it, put it in your pipe

          6. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            You’re really improving with the ‘come-backs’ (retorts). 😉

          7. Hannibal Avatar
            Hannibal

            HAHAHAHAHAHAHA well said…

          8. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Nipples?? Always interesting … I’ve watched full nudity in stage plays … artistic purpose in the presentation.
            Mind you, they mount a ‘warning’ sign before you buy a ticket.
            But at the prices, there better be more to the dialogue than the bodies offer.

          9. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            And if you meant a famous ‘Jackson’ nipple… YES, liked it very much. Indeed.
            And during all the next 50 stop-action replays too … My oh my …never enjoyed a sport event so much.

          10. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            I told you you liked it :-))))
            And it has an artistic message, breaking taboos on live TV when yes, kids are watching! Censorship on American public tvs is very strong, and there is no nudity whatsoever (Which makes private tvs’ business very lucrative as some shows are one step below pornography). And here comes Janet and shows everybody watching what her god created breast looks like.
            Now to link it back to the subject, does Janet’s action of insulting millions of Americans who strongly oppose nudity on tv, as much as Muslims oppose the depiction of the Prophet, warrant her a death sentence?

          11. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Janet didn’t ‘DO’ anything … she moves while singing, and a costume fails … I believe she recovered when she noticed … too soon for me … but what was the point of the stupid reaction from the ‘overly mothered with apple pie’?? … and the chicken-shits who hired her wouldn’t back her up. Instead they cowed to ‘The Mindless Crowd’ in fear of people not watching football again? Like THAT would happen?
            I put that incident down to being a lovely-but-not-white boob which popped out.
            Otherwise, everyone would have just ‘tittered’ and said:
            ‘Land-O-Goshen, That poor sweet little girl. Now find out who designed her costume…’

          12. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            It was absolutely a planned “accident”, she actually covered her nipple with a star, which means by law that it’s not public nudity and therefore she can’t be arrested or prosecuted.
            It was without a doubt legal incitement and it worked, and the noise afterward proves the existence of a societal debate.

          13. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Well, Mek…. I admit I didn’t watch after ‘half-time’. :-)))
            I just heard all the noise.
            Was that a ‘Lone Star State’ Fan Booster gone wrong? ;-)))

        3. Hind Abyad Avatar
          Hind Abyad

          Your friend is suddenly very interested in Art.

      2. man-o-war Avatar
        man-o-war

        I agree, but I still think its stupid. I think people can be courageous while undertaken stupid acts. They knew what kind of shit storm they were welcoming into their community when they went through with this “courageous” endeavor. I’m all for drawing the prophet or anything you want to try and dream up, but they did it with the sole purpose of poking the hornets nest. Their actions were irresponsible, but I don’t think it warrants a death sentence.

        1. Infidel Avatar
          Infidel

          Mano , you seem to be more rational and logical all the time, a result of moving away from south florida? 🙂

          I Totally agree that there is no value in the exercise of drawings knowing that the bravery or the freedom to do so can put innocent by standers in the path of the pea brains that believe that drawing or slandering a prophet or any spirit being is powerful enough to reduce them from the realm or devinity they may have.

          By the way pardon the slag repellent I wear but this is the one and only Geo hoping to connect if you return to the sunshine state, as always hope you and yours are doing well!

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Hohohoho … was it the coconut juice? ;-)) After all? … Couldn’t have been the bacon …

          2. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            Violence cannot be allowed to be a deterrent. Maybe this is the artistic message today: An innocent action such as drawing (no matter the subject) should not be faced with a violent threat. If artists today are bullied by the reaction to their work then we can say goodbye to Art. Tomorrow, someone will wake up and decide that the color red should not be used in paintings and goes on a killing spree of artists using red (simplified example). Should we accept this? Should we tell the artist: well, you shouldn’t have used red in your paintings because it offends someone?
            Welcome back 😉

          3. Infidel Avatar
            Infidel

            Mek, The same individuals that flip out and want to spray people with bullets over a drawing that by no means has any effect whatsoever on their prophet are the EXACT same nutjobs that celebrate and see nothing wrong with setting off pressure cookers with explosives and ball bearing at civilian event on a sunny day in Boston.

            In a nut shell I have no love or respect for them, however I Personally feel strongly about not putting anyone in harms way over something frivalous and unnecessary similar to my views of the idiot florida pastor Terry jones burning the quran that if I recall correctly resulted in violence or death to lives that had nothing to do with what he did.

            I know that its crappy to worry about offending the offenders that need to educated on how happy and safe it is to be a Muslim in usa and many other western countries.

            Good to be back but I will have to leave when I run out of chihuahua repellent :)P

          4. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            I walked across a dog race-track once when it was not race-day. Couldn’t believe the cloud of fleas that rose 5 ft in the air to say ‘Hi’. You really need more bigger dogs .. like on the California beach – the fleas prefer the dogs. ;-)))

          5. man-o-war Avatar
            man-o-war

            Hey Geo! Welcome back! I’m still working in the nations capital, but hope to get back to sunny south Florida soon.

        2. MekensehParty Avatar
          MekensehParty

          The shit storm never stopped artists from doing their work, quite the contrary it motivated them. Do you think Salman Rushdi didn’t know of the shit storm? And did it stop him from shredding Islam to pieces? Didn’t Nietzsche know of the shit storm when he shredded Christianity?… Artists are not afraid of the storm, because the storm is their purpose. And what those two idiots achieved is delivering the storm to their doors. Who even knew what was happening in redneck Irving Texas? How many people heard of Geller before these past 2 days?

      3. Hannibal Avatar
        Hannibal

        it speaks… Still nonsense. Courageous my ass. What kind of courage is that attacking civilians? Besides they got their ass handed to them by a simple details cop despite the fact them having armor and machine guns. Courage aal leyk malla khabriyye…
        wulak ya raytak khriit wu ma 7kiit…
        Is your shift at Burger King done?

        1. MekensehParty Avatar
          MekensehParty

          ???
          English?
          (In Camden NJ Burger King’s name I would like to thank you and your family for being our most loyal customers, eating there morning day and night for the past 35 years.)

    4. zabada Avatar

      Christians can drawing many things..but they choose to draw the prophet and discredit him..so they take the risk…as i said..muslims will act.There are to many new convert in the west…these whites muslms will act on that fool mockers.Let we see in future.Mocking is prevented by all religion.Don,t playing with others.We lost nothing if we respect others.If we are not gong to respect others,we will lose peace.

      1. man-o-war Avatar
        man-o-war

        You sound really silly right now, but then again it wouldn’t be anything new. Anyone can draw anything, whether it offends you or not. You don’t have the right to take someones life over a drawing. If you and the rest of the uncivilized world can’t see that, then you’re doomed for failure. I don’t care how much their writings or drawings offend you. Your free to feel offended and your free to act through violence, but you’re also free to suffer the consequences. Just like these POS lowlife scumbags who are now resting in piss in the bowels of hell.

        1. zabada Avatar

          you know exactly who are in hell fire and who are in paradise ?.If you know that..you have millions of followers..how many your followers..?..non…see Dr.Gerald Dirk on bible…he is the great scholar on the book.A deacon of divinity school…p.h.d..from Havard University.

          1. man-o-war Avatar
            man-o-war

            Yes, I do! and I have 2.8 million followers on Facebook and Twitter. Where is Havard University? Is it a good University?

          2. zabada Avatar

            he he he.

      1. Hind Abyad Avatar
        Hind Abyad

        Music will help, good nigth…:))

    1. Hind Abyad Avatar
      Hind Abyad

      How could they breath? So cruel..

  3. MekensehParty Avatar
    MekensehParty

    Art is incitement! Art is the ancestor of freedom of expression! Back in the days when the church was imposing its dogmas it was artists who broke the silence with their works, beat down the taboo walls by expressing their discontent with the censoring laws. Anyone who denies the right of artists to depict whoever they want in any manner is simply declaring war on Art itself, a proven lost cause.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Yup … Even Graffitti has a ‘niche’ these days ….

      1. MekensehParty Avatar
        MekensehParty

        and tattoos of “bhebik ya Leyla”

  4. Hind Abyad Avatar
    Hind Abyad

    How Islamophobes wage a holy war against Muslims in the name of free speech
    https://www.oximity.com/article/How-Islamophobes-wage-a-holy-war-again-

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Somebody blanked that fast …. hohohoho … did you copy it??
      In big text …. “This article doesn’t exist” …. amazing disclaimer. :-)))))

      1. Hind Abyad Avatar
        Hind Abyad

        I took it off..all the site came in Yalibnan for Gods sake, even with twitter Face Book and 5 other articles..you want to see?

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          No .. not really.
          But I did notice something similar in a ‘paste’ from the Daily Star, and had to re-do it.
          a ‘First’ …. or a new way of grabbing our ‘info’ ?? A ‘HACK’ ??

          1. Hind Abyad Avatar
            Hind Abyad

            It’s us who would be the hackers if we don’t delete and let it publish… huh?

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Obama should have sued her ass off.

  5. MekensehParty Avatar
    MekensehParty

    The more they’ll attack paintings with guns the more people know that the artists are right to keep painting.

  6. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    “But when you beef up security so much, you know that what you’re doing is either illegal or immoral.” ….. OR, it’s politicians gathering … almost the same thing. 😉

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