U.S. Soldier or Domestic Terrorist?

Killeen, Texas—An Army soldier– equipped with bomb-making materials–near Fort Hood, Texas, was arrested Wednesday for his expected role in hatching a “domestic terror plot” aimed at military personnel. 

Naser Jason Abdo, aged 21, was arrested earlier this week after materials, which authorities claim were meant for “bomb-making purposes”, were uncovered in his hotel room in Killeen—a small community located outside of Abdo’s base.

Dennis Baldwin of the Killeen Police Department, said Abdo was being held at the city jail pending a series of federal charges. In addition to these terrorist charges, Abdo maintains a separate charge for possession of child pornography.

Abdo, a private first class who officials approved as a conscientious objector to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, had been classified as AWOL –the soldier had been absent without leave from Fort Campbell, Kentucky since July 4th.

Officials claim that Abdo, who is a native of the Dallas area, has no personal connection to Kileen or Fort Hood. 

While detained, Abdo told police about his intent to massacre military personnel. Without elaborating, Baldwin told the media, “I can tell you that he’s a very dangerous man and he is where he needs to be.”

FBI Special Agents said there was nothing to indicate Abdo’s positioning within a terrorist cell or organization; it is assumed the former soldier was acting alone. 

Abdo was caught in large part to Greg Ebert—an employee at the Guns Galore gun shop in Killeen—who suspected Abdo of inflicting carnage after the soldier purchased six, one-pound canisters of smokeless powder, one magazine for a semi-automatic pistol and three boxes of shotgun shells.