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June 18, 2005

Foolish Young Man

As more details emerge about the UofA grad student turned jihadi, I began to wonder why. Why would an apparently bright and well-liked young man suddenly throw everything away and embrace a culture of death? Especially over such a relatively small thing as delayed graduation?

Here's my current theory, based on information from the criminal complaint and news articles. His family thought he'd graduated in May. He had apparently gotten a job offer and/or accepted a position with Kuwaiti University. All this was wrecked by the denial of his request for his dissertation defense. No defense, no PhD. No job. And he would have to tell his family of his 'failure'.

To him, I suspect, the only 'honorable' solution was to appear as if he'd embraced Islam and the Palestinian 'cause'. A foolish solution to be sure. But young men too often think foolish solutions are their only hope.

Yet he also made no secret of his plans....whether in a childish attempt to shift the blame onto the UofA (see what you made me do) or as a way of making sure he would not have to complete what appears to have been a suicidal mission.

IMHO, anyway, for what it's worth.

Whatever his motivation, it's such a shame....and such a waste of a promising life.

Posted by Rita at June 18, 2005 05:59 AM

Comments

I know Arwah Jaber. We called him "AJ" arround the chemistry departement here at the UofA. He worked in the lab next to mine. I knew his wife. I visited their home.

If you want to know the truth, ask these questions:
1. Who gave the anonymous tip to the FBI?
2. Why is the University not disclosing whether or not Jaber actually completed his scheduled PhD dissertation defense on June 13th, one day before his arrest.
3. Why did his advisor, Dr. Charles Wilkins, not allow him to graduate even after 5 years of work beyond his master's degree at Pittsburg State?
4. Why is the University telling us all to keep quiet to reporters and outsiders as a matter of "University policy"?
5. Isn't a that a violation of free speech?
6. Since he did have a lucrative academic position in Kuwait lined up (the country is pretty rich off of oil), why would he throw his life away?
7. Why would a serious terrorist blab his mouth like that to his professors?
8. Why would he try to leave on the airplane from the local airport on June 14th if he was interviewed by the FBI one day earlier?
9. Would a serious terrorist be that stupid?
10. As a US citizen, is he or is he not innocent until proven guilty? Or is this just reserved for WASPS?

Posted by: He who sees and knows at June 20, 2005 02:51 PM

Thanks for your comments. I can tell you the answer to #4. They don't want to get sued. There's his privacy issues involved. And no, that's not an unconstitutional restraint on free speech.

From all accounts, he sounds like a nice kid....which is why this all sounds so bizarre.

Posted by: Rita [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 20, 2005 04:01 PM