Terror suspect’s online posts detail ‘loneliness’
Nigerian wrote about ‘dilemma between liberalism and extremism’ in 2005


Tracing the path of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a wealthy banker’s son, prestigious London college grad and now an accused terrorist




The 23-year-old Nigerian man accused of the attempted Christmas Day bombing of an American airliner apparently turned to the Internet for counseling and companionship, writing in an online forum that he was "lonely" and had "never found a true Muslim friend."

"I have no one to speak too [sic]," read a posting from January 2005, when Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was attending boarding school. "No one to consult, no one to support me and I feel depressed and lonely. I do not know what to do. And then I think this loneliness leads me to other problems."

The Washington Post reviewed 300 online postings under the name "farouk1986" (a combination of Abdulmutallab's middle name and birth year). The postings mused openly about love and marriage, his college ambitions and angst over standardized testing, as well as his inner struggle as a devout Muslim between liberalism and extremism. In often-intimate writings, posted between 2005 and 2007, he sought friends online, through Facebook and in Islamic chat rooms: "My name is Umar but you can call me Farouk." He often invited readers to "have your say" and once wrote, "May Allah reward you for reading and reward you more for helping."


A U.S. government official said late Monday that federal intelligence officials were reviewing the online postings but had not independently confirmed their authenticity.
Many of the biographical details in the writings, however, match up with facts already known about Abdulmutallab.

Farouk1986 wrote of being born in 1986 and having attended an elite British boarding school in Togo, where many of his classmates were British expatriates and students from around West Africa.

The postings also reference visits to London, the United States and other countries, including Egypt and Yemen. Department of Homeland Security officials said Monday that Abdulmutallab traveled to the United States in July 2004 to Washington and in August 2008 to Houston.

Farouk1986 wrote about considering applications to U.S. and British universities, including University College London, where officials said Abdulmutallab enrolled in a mechanical engineering course from September 2005 to June 2008. He also wrote about his family's wealth; Abdulmutallab's father, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, a frequent visitor to the United States, retired this year as chairman of First Bank of Nigeria and still sits on the boards of several prominent Nigerian firms.

All of the postings are on the Islamic Forum Web site (http://www.gawaher.com), which uses a commercially available chat-forum software called IP.Board that automatically assigns dates to users' posts as they are created. Many of Farouk1986's postings drew comments from other forum members on the day they were written.

Taken together, the writings demonstrate an acute awareness of Western customs and a worldliness befitting Abdulmutallab's privileged upbringing as a wealthy Nigerian banker's son.

In a June 2005 posting, Farouk1986 wrote that he was in Yemen for a three-month Arabic course, saying that "it is just great." He described how many British people and Americans were in Sanaa, gushing about the capital's shopping and global cuisine (including, he noted, Pizza Hut and KFC).

The Yemeni Embassy said Monday that Abdulmutallab was in Yemen between August and December of this year to study Arabic at a language institute. He earlier spent time at the same institute, the embassy said.

Farouk1986 wrote often of the college admissions process, once describing his plans to study engineering at Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley or the California Institute of Technology. But he also wrote of his disappointment in scoring a 1200 on the SAT. "I tried the SAT," he wrote in March 2005. "It was a disaster!!!"

287 Facebook friends
On Facebook, Abdulmutallab's profile features a photo of him smiling, standing alongside two friends and wearing a sharp-looking pink polo shirt and sunglasses. He has 287 friends.

Fabrizio Cavallo Marincola, 22, who studied with Abdulmutallab at University College London, said Abdulmutallab graduated in May 2008 and showed no signs of radicalization or of links to al-Qaeda. "He always did the bare minimum of work," Marincola said of his classmate, who he said was nicknamed "Biggie."

"When we were studying, he always would go off to pray," Marincola continued. "He was pretty quiet and didn't socialize much or have a girlfriend that I knew of."

As a student at the British boarding school in Togo, Farouk1986 wrote that he was lonely because there were few other Muslims. "I'm active, I socialise with everybody around me, no conflicts, I laugh and joke but not excessively," he wrote in one posting seeking counseling from online peers. "I will describe myself as very ambitious and determined, especially in the deen. I strive to live my daily live [sic] according to the quran and sunnah to the best of my ability. I do almost everything, sports, TV, books . . . (of course trying not to cross the limits in the deen)." The deen is a religious way of life.


As investigators search for answers about the man accused of trying to blow up a plane on Christmas day, a glaring question remains: Just when did Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab transform from a devout Muslim to an alleged terrorist?


In his January 2005 posting about his loneliness, Farouk1986 wrote about the tension between his desires and his religious duty of "lowering the gaze" in the presence of women. "The Prophet (S) advised young men to fast if they can't get married but it has not been helping me much and I seriously don't want to wait for years before I get married," he wrote.

At 18, he added, he had not started searching for prospective partners because of social norms such as having "a degree, a job, a house, etc. before getting married." But, he said, "my parents I know could help me financially should I get married, even though I think they are also not going to be in favour of early marriage."

He also wrote of his "dilemma between liberalism and extremism" [/i]as a Muslim. [i]"The Prophet (S) said religion is easy and anyone who tries to overburden themselves will find it hard and will not be able to continue," he wrote in 2005. "So anytime I relax, I deviate sometimes and then when I strive hard, I get tired of what I am doing i.e. memorising the quran, etc. How should one put the balance right?"

In December 2005, Farouk1986 wrote that his parents were visiting him in London and that he was torn about whether he could eat meat with them. "I am of the view meat not slaughtered by Muslims . . . is haram [forbidden] for consumption unless necessary," he wrote. "My parents are of the view as foreigners, we are allowed to . . . eat any meat. It occured [sic] to me I should not be eating with my parents as they use meat I consider haram. But I fear this might cause division and other complicated family problems."

He pleaded: "Please respond as quickly as possible as my tactic has been to eat outside and not at home till I get an answer."

'Devoted Muslim'
Abdulmutallab, the youngest of 16 children and the son of the second of his father's two wives, was raised at the family home in Kaduna, a city in Nigeria's Muslim-dominated north. At boarding school, Farouk was easygoing and studious, earning the sobriquet "Alfa," a local term for Muslim clerics, because of his penchant for preaching Islam to colleagues, according to family members.

"Farouk was a devoted Muslim who took his religion seriously and was committed to his studies," said an uncle. "He was such a brilliant boy and nobody in the family had the slightest thought he could do something as insane as this."

Although Farouk hardly ever stayed in Nigeria and would visit only for holidays, family members and neighbors on Ahman Pategi Street in the rich Unguwar Sarki neighborhood in Kaduna also said he was easygoing and passionate about Islam. "He was of course a very religious, polite and studious fellow," said a cousin, "but it was unthinkable that he would do anything close to attempting to bomb a plane."

Link
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34618228/ns/us_news-washington_post

his parents should have married him off early especially since he's so religious

OMG, why did this boy do this?

This is clear case of 'catch them young'
This guys' mind was poisoned from the very first beginning.

While his father may have reported him to the US officials, i still believe his parents have a hand in what he turned out.

How does someone that young turn out to be so fanatic especially coming from his Background? What it sounds like is that he couldn't wait to get laid and thought the only way to do it is by killing himself and getting 72 virgins. Many of these idiot suicide bombers are just young men who for whatever reasons can't get with the opposite sex. I have absolutely no sympathy for this piece of Poo

OMO IBO:

This is clear case of 'catch them young'
This guys' mind was poisoned from the very first beginning.

While his father may have reported him to the US officials, i still believe his parents have a hand in what he turned out.

Why do you believe the parents have a hand in what he turned out?

I posted this elsewhere, but it suits this thread as well;

The family is to blame, they failed at bringing up their child. The heartbreaking depth of loneliness in his writings, speaks of a family that was never there for him. Perhaps, they threw money at him, instead of love.

Sometimes drug barons become drug addicts. The drugs are meant for others, but they take a test and. . . Gbosa! They are hooked.
The boys dad is one of those pushing a religious agenda in Nigeria, his son got caught in religious bu.llshit. Who do you blame?
His father, Dr Mutallab, is a sharia supporter who is also at the head of Nigeria's first Islamic bank.

"The apple does not fall far from the tree".

Young men usually turn to their dads for counselling, not the World Wide Web.

I guess it's one of the pitfalls of outsourcing child rearing to educational institutions. He was in Togo in his formative years, and then off to London. I wonder how much time he spent with his mum and dad.

Just too sad. Everything points in one direction , this lad was a very decent boy . where exactly did the train derail?

Me think this boy was radicalised sitting in front of the TV seeing muslims getting killed by US planes and drones, there is no better recruiting tool for alqaeda better than that.

There are thousands of British muslims who travel to study in yemen and yemen has many good institutes for learning and they come back to the UK as good citizens. I am of the opinion the boy was not radicalised in yemen but rather radicalised in UK or Togo in front of the TV. He travelled to yemen and met people who probably helped him translate his frustrations into action.

Beaf:

I posted this elsewhere, but it suits this thread as well;

Young men usually turn to their dads for counselling, not the World Wide Web.

Dumbo, failing (if you can call it that) in the upbringing does not mean the parents are responsible or to blame for terrorist attack.

Do all kids that do not get adequate upbringing feeling go out and try and kill as many people as possible?

What makes you think the kid might not have some depressive disorder that has not been diagnosed? Is that the parents fault?

Blame the boy for his actions and not the parents.

Sagamite:

Dumbo, failing (if you can call it that) in the upbringing does not mean the parents are responsible or to blame for terrorist attack.

Do all kids that do not get adequate upbringing feeling go out and try and kill as many people as possible?

What makes you think the kid might not have some depressive disorder that has not been diagnosed? Is that the parents fault?

Blame the boy for his actions and not the parents.

People blaming his parents are just frustrated envious folks who wished they had access to such parental care and financial well that would have sent them to the best schools.

It is only in Nigeria a thief steals and his whole family is arrested. Police mentality i used to think belonged to the men in black, NL has enlightened my mind to the fact that it is a deep rooted culture in some Nigerians intellect and mind.

Sagamite:

Dumbo, failing (if you can call it that) in the upbringing does not mean the parents are responsible or to blame for terrorist attack.

Do all kids that do not get adequate upbringing feeling go out and try and kill as many people as possible?

What makes you think the kid might not have some depressive disorder that has not been diagnosed? Is that the parents fault?

Blame the boy for his actions and not the parents.

Fo.ol, there is something called a psyche.
It is a parents duty nuture their kids, mind and body. That boy cried out about his loneliness, not to his family, but to ears on the World Wide Web.

"I have no one to speak too [sic]," read a posting from January 2005, when Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was attending boarding school. "No one to consult, no one to support me and I feel depressed and lonely. I do not know what to do. And then I think this loneliness leads me to other problems."

Lagosboy:

People blaming his parents are just frustrated envious folks who wished they had access to such parental care and financial well that would have sent them to the best schools.

It is only in Nigeria a thief steals and his whole family is arrested. Police mentality i used to think belonged to the men in black, NL has enlightened my mind to the fact that it is a deep rooted culture in some Nigerians intellect and mind.

Funny guy. Does that sound like logic?

Beaf:

Fo.ol, there is something called a psyche.
It is a parents duty nuture their kids, mind and body. That boy cried out about his loneliness, not to his family, but to ears on the World Wide Web.


Funny guy. Does that sound like logic?

Gentleman! respect yourself, the fact that I disagree with your view and others doesnt give you the license to use such word for me. I do my best not to personalise issues or insult personalities on this forum. Respect begets respect.

His father is blameless that is my view and you are entitled to yours period!

Beaf:

Fo.ol, there is something called a psyche.
It is a parents duty nuture their kids, mind and body. That boy cried out about his loneliness, not to his family, but to ears on the World Wide Web.

Dimwit, and this makes the parents responsible for him trying to blow up others?

Do all lonely children do that? Or even does a fraction of them do it?

Mo-ron, he is fully responsible for HIS actions as he chose the kind of islam he wants to practice.

Dimwit, his father has 16 children and he is the only one that turned out that way. That says something about HIS personality.

Use your brain.

Sagamite:

Dimwit, and this makes the parents responsible for him trying to blow up others?

Do all lonely children do that? Or even does a fraction of them do it?

Mo-ron, he is fully responsible for HIS actions as he chose the kind of islam he wants to practice.

Dimwit, his father has 16 children and he is the only one that turned out that way. That says something about HIS personality.

Use your brain.

If only you had read the one word in what I wrote that you have somehow missed, "psyche". . . Your short comings?
It is every parents job to realise something is not right with their kids psyche.

I'm not surprised you can't understand though, you seem to have turned out wrong. . . Pics?

Beaf:

If only you had read the one word in what I wrote that you have somehow missed, "psyche". . . Your short comings?
It is every parents job to realise something is not right with their kids psyche.

I'm not surprised you can't understand though, you seem to have turned out wrong. . . Pics?

Dimwit, and they did realise something was wrong, hence they tried to reign him in.

And when they could not and he disappeared, it was out of their control and they informed both local and international authorities.

But in your warped brain, you have come to the conclusion (from your "evidence" that they were hoping he blew himself up.

Sagamite:

Dimwit, and they did realise something was wrong, hence they tried to reign him in.

And when they could not and he disappeared, it was out of their control and they informed both local and international authorities.

But in your warped brain, you have come to the conclusion (from your "evidence" that they were hoping he blew himself up.

They reined him in years after he had deviated and was taken solace, not from an absent family, but the World Wide Web. I'm sure thats how you were brought up as well, because here you are blowing yourself to bits.
You really turned out wrong, boy.
www.nairaland.com/attachments/180447_ROTFLMAO_gif3d0c775232c7f27cf80592785b9635b6

They reigned him in years

I think it is reined him over

^
Thanks.

Beaf:

They reined him in years after he had deviated and was taken solace, not from an absent family, but the World Wide Web. I'm sure thats how you were brought up as well, because here you are blowing yourself to bits.
You really turned out wrong, boy.
www.nairaland.com/attachments/180447_ROTFLMAO_gif3d0c775232c7f27cf80592785b9635b6

Dimwit, just don't be making stupid insinuations.

Sagamite:

Dimwit My role model, just don't be making silly obvious insinuations.

Am I making you look bad?

"I have no one to speak too [sic]," read a posting from January 2005, when Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was attending boarding school. "No one to consult, no one to support me and I feel depressed and lonely. I do not know what to do. And then I think this loneliness leads me to other problems."

What do you call someone who can't understand the heart rending cry for help above? Fill in the blanks, fo_l.

. . .How much does it take to get new panties from Yemen?

www.nairaland.com/attachments/180447_ROTFLMAO_gif3d0c775232c7f27cf80592785b9635b6

Beaf:

Am I making you look bad?

What do you call someone who can't understand the heart rending cry for help above? Fill in the blanks, fo_l.

. . .How much does it take to get new panties from Yemen?

Dimwit, his parents are not responsible for and were not in support of his plan to blow up a plane as you try to insinuate.

Use your brain before making such insinuations.

Openning an Islamic bank is a commercial opportunity exploiting a gap in the market and a religious fulfilment not a sharia or terrorist act as your dumb arse keeps on stating.

Sagamite:

Dimwit, his parents are not responsible for and were not in support of his plan to blow up a plane as you try to insinuate.

Use your brain before making such insinuations.

Openning an Islamic bank is a commercial opportunity exploiting a gap in the market and a religious fulfilment not a sharia or terrorist act as your dumb arse keeps on stating.

How can one reason with an almajiri? You're sounding like a scratched record now.

"I have no one to speak too [sic]," read a posting from January 2005, when Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was attending boarding school. "No one to consult, no one to support me and I feel depressed and lonely. I do not know what to do. And then I think this loneliness leads me to other problems."

. . .How much does it take to get new panties from Yemen?
I'm sure thats how you were brought up as well, because here you are blowing yourself to bits.
You really turned out wrong, boy.

[b]This kind of crap can happen to any misguided devoted moslem youth. Even to me back in the days. Thats why a great deal of us are rushing into churches. Its not because theres anything special about churches, but you see this sense of fulfilment and happiness around Christians though they dont run the country. Though they dont take the lion share of the nations oil wealth. Christians dont tell you about hell fire everyday, and they dont depress you with those "Dont Drink", "Dont Bang a sexy chic or you are doomed poo", and they dont make their followers lives miserable like these moslem Alfas have successfully done.
I dont know, moslems keep blaming America and Israel for all their failings. We talk about the crusade (though extremely bloody, for crying out loud, that more than a hundred years ago). We blame the Christians for been ignorant while we cant even idenity our fundamental problems or issues,
Gone are the days when you see Islam, the religion of Tolerance. When, Moslems dont have a problem with been around people of other faith. But now, we have loads of sects. Tablighs. Etc. And we dont even feel at peace with oneanother. And hey, even down in the Central Mosque at UNILAG, we keep attacking oneanother over trivial and useless issues. God, this has to stop.
I wonder why the birth of a true, sincere, and knowledgeable moslem is as extremely hard as the birth of a true Nigerian. Atleast, im sure Christianity isnt as totally pathetic in this country as our religion has become.[/b]

Sheesh can we stop flooding the politics section with this. The guy is a terrorist get over it. There are many more like him waiting to be used politically and religiously.

It will take time but, they will all be eliminated eventually.

America now wants to paint him as a madman. Just get all this over with, you fakes, he wanted to blow up a plane, charge and sentence him, why are you giving us his facebook page!!!!!

How are his posts any different from the posts of many users on this board?

his posts arent even as inflammatory as many of the users here.

Thats why I said he was recruited by unscrupulous elements who sit their corrupt behinds safely at home while sending others to do their dirty work for them and be the fall guy.

tpia.:

his posts arent even as inflammatory as many of the users here.

Thats why I said he was recruited by unscrupulous elements who sit their corrupt behinds safely at home while sending others to do their dirty work for them and be the fall guy.

Me think he should be hold responsible for his action, that is the part he has choose, loneliness my foot.this umar farouk is just simply stupid, this whole scenario still beat my imagination that a nigeria is willing to bomb himself along with other innocent people.That is not the spirit of a true nigeria, nothing surprise me again.

Me think this boy was radicalised sitting in front of the TV seeing muslims getting killed by US planes and drones, there is no better recruiting tool for alqaeda better than that.

This post is as unintelligent as they come.
He did not see his brothers kill people in Mumbai or were those as a result of drones too? Or those who bombed in Bali or the ones in Darfur were also as a result of drones and US planes.

The Mumbai killing, Balli bombing, Darfur killings and Boko Haram were as a result of US planes and drones.

Say it as it is, He is carrying out the dictates of his religion.

@kobojunkie,

I was saying the same to Kobojunkie. It was not Money, Education or Achievement that made him do it. It was the absence love. It was the Absence of social love in Nigeria. If you go through NAIRALAND you will see the hatred on Nairaland of how people blame the tribes.

People that are not Nigerians know this and do you know sometimes that they ask you what tribe are you? when you tell them they start imagining you to behave in a particular way.

NIGERIANS FOR GOD'S SAKE BRING DOWN THIS WALL OF HATRED