Curtis Culwell Center attack
Curtis Culwell Center attack | |
---|---|
![]() Curtis Culwell Center | |
Location | Garland, Texas, U.S. |
Coordinates | 32°57′34″N 96°38′31″W / 32.95956°N 96.64191°WCoordinates: 32°57′34″N 96°38′31″W / 32.95956°N 96.64191°W |
Date | May 3, 2015 6:50 p.m. (UTC−05:00) |
Target | American Freedom Defense Initiative exhibition |
Attack type | Shooting, terrorist attack |
Weapons | Three semi-automatic rifles:
Three handguns:
|
Deaths | 2 (both perpetrators) |
Injured | 1 (security officer) |
Perpetrators | Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi[3] |
Motive | Retaliation for depictions of Muhammad |
The Curtis Culwell Center attack was a failed terrorist attack on an exhibit featuring cartoon images of Muhammad at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas on May 3, 2015, which ended in a shootout with police guarding the event, and the deaths of the two perpetrators.[4] The attackers shot an unarmed Garland Independent School District (GISD) security officer in the ankle.[5][6] Shortly after opening fire, both attackers were shot and killed by an off-duty Garland police officer.[7]
The FBI had been monitoring the two attackers for years, and an undercover agent was right behind them when the first shots were fired.[8] The injured security guard filed a lawsuit against the FBI in October 2017, claiming the FBI was partially responsible for his injuries.[6][9]
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack plot, the first time the militant group took credit for an attack in the United States.[10][11][12][13] ISIL's claim of responsibility was not verified, and U.S. officials stated that the attack appears to have been inspired, but not directed, by ISIL.
An online ISIL persona run by internet troll Joshua Ryne Goldberg had posted maps to the exhibition, and urged his followers to attack the event. Goldberg pleaded guilty to federal charges in December 2017. His persona was retweeted by one of the attackers on the morning of the attack, and Goldberg claimed responsibility for inciting the attack to multiple news outlets and in his plea agreement.[14][15][16][17][18]
Background[]
Muhammad exhibit and contest[]
The event, which featured images of Muhammad, was advertised as the "First Annual Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest", presented by the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI), or Stop Islamization of America. It was organized by the AFDI together with the David Horowitz Freedom Center's Jihad Watch, run by Robert Spencer.[19] A $10,000 award was offered for the winning cartoon, which was selected from among 350 submissions. The prize was awarded to Bosch Fawstin, a former Muslim and a critic of Islam who submitted six drawings, with the text "You can't draw me!"/"That's why I draw you."[20][21] He was to collect an award of $12,500.[22][23] Though images of Muhammad are not explicitly banned by the Quran, prominent Islamic views oppose human images, especially those of prophets. Such views have gained ground among certain militant Islamic groups.[24][25][26]
The event featured speeches by Pamela Geller, president of the AFDI, and Dutch politician Geert Wilders, party leader of the Party for Freedom and outspoken critic of Islam. Congressmen Keith Ellison and André Carson[27][28] had tried unsuccessfully to block Wilders from entering the United States.[29] At the time of the attack, the "First Annual Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest" exhibit was attended by approximately 150 people,[1] although the number was initially estimated at 200.[30]
The organizers of the event had paid over $10,000 to a total of forty off-duty police officers and private security guards.[5] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a SWAT team, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) were also brought in for the occasion of any possible incidents.[1][31] At the time, there was reportedly "no immediate credible threat" of an attack.[30]
Prior to the attack, ISIL had urged followers and sympathizers who were unable to join the fighting in the Syrian Civil War to carry out jihad in their home countries.[10][32] Approximately three hours prior to the start of the contest, the FBI had alerted the Garland Police Department that a suspected extremist, identified as gunman Elton Simpson, was "interested in the event" and could show up there. However, FBI officials later clarified they had no reason to believe an actual attack would occur at the contest.[33][34][35] Officers later stated that they were not aware of the alert.[1][36]
Location[]
The "First Annual Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest" event was hosted at the Curtis Culwell Center, rented from the Garland Independent School District. The center previously hosted a fundraiser in January called "Stand With the Prophet in Honor and Respect", which was organized to combat negative stereotypes of Islam.[37] Geller had spearheaded about 1,000 picketers at that event.[38][39]
Before the start of the "First Annual Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest", concerns were expressed by Garland citizens about the center hosting the event due to potential backlash and retaliation, a sentiment that had also been voiced prior to the "Stand With the Prophet in Honor and Respect" event. However, officials allowed both events to proceed as planned, since the school district was bound by a nondiscriminatory leasing policy. Garland ISD board president Rick Lambert said in January, "The Culwell Center is available for rental as long as you comply with the law. Because it is a public facility, the district is not allowed to discriminate based upon viewpoint."[39][40]
Attack[]
Minutes prior to the attack, a man, identified by police as one of the gunmen, posted a tweet with the hashtag #texasattack: "May Allah accept us as mujahideen." In his tweet, he said he and an accomplice had pledged allegiance to "Amirul Mu'mineen", which Paul Cruickshank of CNN said probably referred to ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The user also asked his readers to follow Junaid Hussain on Twitter. After the shooting occurred, Hussain tweeted: "Allahu Akbar!!!! 2 of our brothers just opened fire".[41]
Just before the event was set to end at around 7:00 p.m.,[30] two men wearing body armor and equipped with three rifles, three handguns, and 1,500 rounds of ammunition[1][42] drove up to a police car that was parked next to a barricade erected in front of the center. Seated inside the police car were Officer Gregory Stevens of the Garland Police Department and an unarmed Garland ISD security guard.[43] The two gunmen got out of their vehicle and fired dozens of rounds at the police car, shooting the Garland ISD security guard. The men were then shot and wounded by Stevens, and eventually killed by SWAT officers.[44][45] The Garland ISD officer, identified as 58-year-old Bruce Joiner, was shot in the ankle.[5][46] He was treated at a local hospital and confirmed to be released at 9:00 p.m.[47][48]
Authorities were worried that the suspects' car could contain an incendiary device; as a precaution, several nearby businesses were evacuated. Bomb units from the Garland Police Department, the FBI, the Plano Police Department, and the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport were called to the scene. Police cordoned off a large area and at least three helicopters circled overhead.[1][49] An officer in SWAT gear took the stage toward the end of the event and told attendees that a shooting had occurred, stating that one officer and two suspects had been shot.[50] It was later confirmed that there were no explosives inside the vehicle.[51] After the attack, Phoenix police began searching the two assailants' apartment.[51]
Perpetrators[]
Elton Simpson (c. 1985 – May 3, 2015) and Nadir Hamid Soofi (c. 1981 – May 3, 2015), roommates living in an apartment in Phoenix, Arizona, were the assailants in the attack. Simpson was convicted of making a false statement about terrorism in 2011, and followed hacker and pro-ISIL propagandist Junaid Hussain on Twitter.[41][52] Simpson was an employee at a dentist's office, while Soofi was running a carpet cleaning business.[53] A third man, Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem (born c. 1972), was responsible for housing Simpson and Soofi at his home, as well as supplying them with the firearms and ammunition used in the attack. According to an indictment, around June 2014, the three began conspiring to support ISIL and considered targeting a number of locations for terrorist attacks.[54][55][56]
Elton Simpson[]
Elton Simpson | |
---|---|
Born | Elton Simpson c. 1985 Illinois, U.S. |
Died | May 3, 2015 (aged 29 or 30) Garland, Texas, U.S. |
Cause of death | Gunshot wounds |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Dental office employee |
Simpson was born in Illinois and raised in suburban Westmont.[57] He moved to Phoenix at a young age.[58] He converted to Islam while attending Washington High School. His lawyer described him as "particularly devout" and "entrenched in Islam", but said he did not seem to be a threat to anyone.[57][59] Simpson was a longtime worshiper at the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix, starting in approximately 2005, but according to the mosque's president, Usama Shami,[60] he stopped showing up months prior to the attack.[31][61][62][63][64][65] The mosque has been part of previous terrorism probes.[66] He attended Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona, playing basketball for the college there.[67]
Simpson was the subject of an FBI investigation starting in 2006, during which he stated his intent to travel to Somalia and join fellow jihadists. He had ties to Hassan Abujihaad, a former United States Navy sailor arrested in Phoenix and convicted of terrorism-related charges.[61] Abujihaad had been an occasional attendant of the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix.[68]
In May 2009, Simpson told an FBI informant, "I'm telling you, man, we can make it to the battlefield. It's time to roll."[61] He was also recorded saying, "If you get shot, or you get killed, it's [heaven] straightaway... That's what we here for ... so why not take that route?"[61] In 2010, one day before Simpson was scheduled to travel to Somalia, he was arrested by federal agents as the result of a four-year investigation.[67] The Islamic Community Center of Phoenix posted cash bond of $100,000 to have him released from custody.[69] Simpson was found guilty of making a false statement regarding international and domestic terrorism, and was sentenced to three years probation and a $600 fine in August 2011 after lying to a federal agent about his travel plans. His lenient sentence was the result of U.S. District Court Judge Mary H. Murguia not finding sufficient evidence to conclude that he planned to join a terrorist organization.[20][41][70][71] He was put on the U.S. federal No Fly List.[41] He had previously intended to travel with others to Syria to fight with ISIL, though his accomplices were arrested during simultaneous FBI raids in San Diego and Minneapolis.[72] Authorities had already opened an investigation of Simpson at the time of the attack.[67]
He also interacted with Junaid Hussain, a British-born hacker and member of ISIL, and Mujahid Miski, an Al-Shabaab recruiter and propagandist of Muslim extremism from Minnesota, via Twitter through "secure communication". Hussain was also the founder of a pro-ISIL hacker group called "CyberCaliphate", which was responsible for a cyber-attack on the United States Central Command's Twitter account in January 2015.[73][74][75][76] A week prior to the attack, Simpson mentioned the "First Annual Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest" event in a tweet sent to what is believed to be Hassan's Twitter account. Simpson then asked, "When will they ever learn?", and Hassan responded: "The brothers from the Charlie Hebdo attack did their part. It's time for brothers in the #US to do their part."[75] Investigators believe Hussain and Hassan encouraged Simpson to commit an attack on U.S. soil, but also that Simpson assembled the attack plan and targeted the art exhibit on his own accord.[76]
Simpson was identified as the same user who posted a tweet with the hashtag #texasattack: "May Allah accept us as mujahideen."[41] The profile photo on #texasattack was of the late American Salafi imam Anwar al-Awlaki, who had repeatedly called for violence against cartoonists who insulted the Muslim prophet Muhammad prior to being killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2011 in Yemen.[77] Junaid Hussain was identified as the ISIL propagandist whom Simpson recommended his readers to follow in that same tweet.[75]
Nadir Soofi[]
Nadir Soofi | |
---|---|
Born | Nadir Hamid Soofi c. 1981 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
Died | May 3, 2015 (aged 33 or 34) Garland, Texas, U.S. |
Cause of death | Gunshot wounds |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Business owner |
Soofi's father, Azam Soofi,[78] is Pakistani, and his mother, Sharon Soofi, is American.[41] According to his mother, he was born at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas and lived in Garland until age three.[79] The family then moved to Plano, Texas, and then Alabama.[80] His mother, who was raised Catholic, converted to Islam at the request of his father.[61][80] Soofi was also raised as a Muslim by his father.[53] He and his brother moved to Pakistan with their father and stepmother after their parents were divorced in the 1990s. During his time there, Soofi attended the International School of Islamabad, where he was said by friends to have been popular among his classmates.[41][52]
In 1998, after living in Pakistan for six years,[81] Soofi moved back to the U.S. to live with his mother in Utah.[41][53][82] The two later moved to Phoenix in the mid-2000s.[80] According to his friends in Pakistan, he had difficulties adjusting to the American culture upon moving to the U.S.[82] He took a pre-medical course at the University of Utah starting in the fall semester of 1998, but dropped out in the summer of 2003.[53][80][83] At one point, he also owned Cleopatra Bistro Pizza, a pizza and hot wings eatery that served halal food, though the business struggled and eventually closed down five months prior to the attack.[83]
Soofi was arrested and charged for more than twenty minor offenses, most of them traffic violations.[53][84] In June 2001, when he was twenty, he pleaded guilty to possession of alcohol by a minor. In March 2002, he pleaded guilty to alcohol-related reckless driving, followed by another guilty plea in June 2002 for driving on a suspended license. In 2003, he was charged for distributing a controlled substance and possessing drug paraphernalia, although the case was later dismissed. That same year in July, Soofi pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge. The case was also dismissed.[32][84]
He was survived by his parents and an eight-year-old son from a failed marriage.[62][80][85][86][87] After the attack, his mother said her son was "brainwashed" by Simpson, claims that were echoed by his father[78] and maternal grandmother,[87] and that she did not blame police for killing her son.[88]
Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem[]
Abdul Kareem | |
---|---|
Born | Decarus Lowell Thomas c. 1972 (age 42 or 43) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Other names | Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem |
Abdul Kareem was born and raised in Philadelphia as Decarus Lowell Thomas. In 2013, he changed his name to Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem and converted to Islam. He occasionally attended the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix since at least 2011 and cleaned carpets there. Kareem had a criminal record in Arizona, including two aggravated drunken driving convictions and an aggravated assault charge in 1997. In the latter incident, a woman told police that he pointed a gun in her direction; Abdul Kareem claimed he instead took the weapon away from his brother during an argument and wasn't pointing it at anyone.[89] He had been arrested a total of eleven times between 1991 and 2004, and also served jail time twice.[90]
Following the attack, he lied to FBI investigators several times and said he was not asked by Simpson or Soofi to directly participate in the attack.[54] However, according to a confidential informant, Kareem was indeed planning on participating with them and had been angry at the informant for not selling him suppressors and bulletproof vests.[90] He allegedly attempted to fund the attack by feigning injuries inflicted after being struck by a car and then making an insurance claim based on the injuries.[56] Previously, Abdul Kareem was investigated by the FBI in 2012 for having a terrorism training document on his computer and developing a plot to attack the Super Bowl XLIX game in Glendale, Arizona with pipe bombs.[56][89][90] He had also reportedly accessed a list released by ISIL, which contained the names and addresses of U.S. service members.[42]
He was arrested on June 11 and charged with "conspiracy, making false statements and interstate transportation of firearms with intent to commit a felony." According to an indictment, Kareem practiced shooting with Simpson and Soofi between January and May in Phoenix.[89][90] According to CNN, the firearms were all bought legally.[91] His trial was initially set for August 4, but it was later rescheduled for October 6.[90] On December 21, Abdul Kareem was also charged with conspiring to provide support to ISIL and attempting to attack the Super Bowl XLIX game.[55][56] On March 17, 2016, Kareem was found guilty of conspiring with terrorists for helping the attack's perpetrators plan to carry it out.[92] He was sentenced to 30 years in prison in February 2017.
ISIL claim of responsibility[]
In addition to the gunman's tweet pledging allegiance to ISIL, the jihadist group claimed responsibility for the attack, stating on its Al Bayan radio station that "two soldiers of the Caliphate executed an attack on an art exhibit in Garland, Texas.... This exhibit was portraying negative pictures of the Prophet Mohammed."[88] It marked the first time ISIL took credit for an attack in the mainland U.S.[10] ISIL promised to launch further attacks in the future.[93] There was initially no evidence that ISIL had contact with the perpetrators, and law enforcement groups continued to investigate a possible link.[94] Some counterterrorism experts expressed doubts on the legitimacy of those claims, noting that ISIL has in the past claimed responsibility for attacks they actually had no involvement in.[32] One U.S. official said the attack was "certainly more than just inspiration" by ISIL.[94] A law enforcement official said the attack did "not appear to be a clear-cut case of a lone wolf, nor a pure case of someone directed by others to act"; instead, "it appears to be something in between the two extremes".[94] According to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, the shooting was inspired, but not directed, by ISIL.[95][96]
In August 2015, Centcom announced that it had killed Junaid Hussain in a drone strike in Syria, due to his influence in motivating lone wolf-style attacks.[97][98] U.S. officials reportedly had a strong desire to assassinate Hussain, listing him as the third-highest ISIL target on the Pentagon's "kill list" behind Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Mohammed Emwazi.[99][100][101]
In December 2017, a Florida Jewish American internet troll, Joshua Ryne Goldberg, was convicted of planning the bombing of a 2015 9/11 memorial event in Kansas City.[14] In his communications with an FBI informant, Goldberg claimed credit for inspiring the Garland attack.[14] Goldberg's fake Twitter persona using the name "Australi Witness" had posted a map of the Curtis Culwell Center and urged any in the area to attack "with your weapons, bombs, or knives". News reports about Goldberg's online persona calling for the Garland attack first brought Goldberg to the attention of the FBI. The FBI also found that Elton Simpson retweeted a message from Goldberg's Twitter handle on the morning of the attack.[102][103][104][15]
Reactions and aftermath[]
Following the attack, Texas Governor Greg Abbott released a statement, calling the attack "senseless" and promising there was an investigation underway. He also issued his gratitude to the Garland police officers for their swift action against the assailants.[30] U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said:
[The attack] serves as a reminder that free and protected speech, no matter how offensive to some, never justifies violence of any sort. This attack also underscores the importance of close collaboration between federal, state and local authorities in our Nation's homeland security efforts, as well as public awareness and vigilance.
Johnson urged American citizens to not "misdirect" their anger at Muslims.[20] Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn said the contest was an expression of free speech.[105] U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the attack in a statement.[106]
Muslim organizations also reacted to the attack. The Council on American–Islamic Relations issued a statement condemning the attack and saying, "Bigoted speech can never be an excuse for violence."[20] Dr. Nasim Rehmatullah, National Vice President of the U.S. chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, also said in a statement:
Violence is never an acceptable response to hate speech, no matter how inflammatory and uncivilized that speech is. While we do not yet know what motivated these shooters, we urge calm and defer to local, state, and federal authorities to peaceably and justly resolve this.[44]
Following the attack, ISIL supporters expressed their support online with postings on ISIL-affiliated websites.[107] Bosch Fawstin, the winner of the cartoon contest, has received numerous death threats.[108] The Southern Poverty Law Center plans to discuss the incident in its 2016 report on hate in the United States.[109] In the wake of the attack, the Garland Independent School District announced it would begin reviewing its policy for hosting events at the Curtis Culwell Center.[110]
On May 29, 2015, protesters staging a "Freedom of Speech" rally outside of the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix, the same mosque where Simpson and Soofi had attended, were met with counter-protests. Jon Ritzheimer, a former U.S. Marine, organized the protest to take place during Friday evening prayers as a "response to the recent attacks in Texas."[111]
On June 2, 2015, Boston police killed a Roslindale man armed with a military-style knife after the man charged at the officers.[112] The man had planned to assassinate Geller because of the contest, but became impatient and decided to target local police instead.[113]
In an interview with CNN, Geller denied that the event was intentionally provocative, criticized the media for not defending the First Amendment, and pointed out that other religions have been similarly offended but do not react violently.[114] Geller later told CNN that the shooting would not stop her and the AFDI from organizing similar events in the future. She said regarding the attack, "Freedom of speech is under violent assault here."[115] She also said that the shooting showed how "needed our event really was."[116]
The Chicago Tribune reported on August 1 that Soofi, despite his long rap sheet, purchased a 9mm gun in 2010 at Lone Wolf Trading Co., one of the private companies encouraged by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to sell weapons to persons who normally would not be legally allowed such purchases, an action that would later become the ATF gunwalking scandal. The Tribune wrote that Soofi's purchase was initially put on a seven-day hold but that "for reasons that remain unclear, the hold was lifted after 24 hours, and Soofi got the 9-millimeter." The day after the attack, the U.S. Department of Justice sent an urgent firearms disposition request to Lone Wolf Trading Co. As of the date of the Tribune's report, the FBI has not released any details of the guns used by Simpson and Soofi.[117]
Lawsuit against the FBI[]
The injured security guard, Bruce Joiner, filed a federal lawsuit in October 2017 against the FBI and DOJ.[9][note 1] His suit argues the bureau "solicited, encouraged, directed and aided members of ISIS in planning and carrying out the May 3 attack," and is asking for just over $8 million damages.[9] Evidence submitted to court in previous cases confirm that an FBI undercover agent was in communication with the attackers and present at the Culwell Center during the attack.[6][8] When he saw the attack underway he attempted to flee and was promptly stopped at gunpoint by Garland police.[6][8][9]
Court pleadings filed by the federal government in January 2018 as part of an attempt to get the suit dismissed confirmed that the undercover FBI agent "was dressed in Middle Eastern attire and police almost killed him, but he saved his life by claiming to be an FBI agent."[118] In a media interview, Joiner's attorney argued the attack was either "Just a complete botched operation where they [the FBI] don't want the attack to actually take place" or it was allowed to proceed in order to "bolster [the undercover agent's] street cred within ISIS".[118] In March 2018, the undercover agent, appearing in disguise and under a pseudonym, testified in a criminal trial against Erick Jamal Hendricks.[119] In that testimony the agent said he had no advance knowledge of the Garland attack and was surprised when the attackers opened fire.[119]
On December 21, 2018, US District Court Judge Karen Gren Scholer dismissed Joiner's lawsuit.[119] In her opinion, Judge Scholer wrote: "The Court finds that the conduct alleged by Plaintiff fall[s] within the scope of the discretionary authority conferred on the FBI by the Undercover Guidelines and the [DIOG (Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide)]."[119][note 2]
Support and criticism of event[]
![]() | The neutrality of this section is disputed. (May 2016) |
Support for Geller and AFDI[]
In an interview with Fox News Channel's The Kelly File, UCLA School of Law professor Eugene Volokh said
[T]his kind of discussion has value in debate about Islam and about the role of Islam and about the reaction of some Muslims, fortunately only a small portion of Muslims do these kinds of things. But beyond that it has value as a reaffirmation of our free speech rights. It has value as an act of defiance. It has value as people saying: look, we are not going to be shut up. When you tell us that we cannot draw pictures of Mohammed, when you tell us we cannot say these things or else you'll kill us, that just means that we're going to do it again and again to show that you cannot threaten Americans into submission.[120]
Also on The Kelly File, Alan Dershowitz said that "critics of Pamela Geller...should realize that while she may have intended to provoke a negative reaction from extreme Islamists, she shares something in common with civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr."[121]
Victor Davis Hanson wrote in an article in the National Review online magazine that "radical Islam has already cut a huge swathe out of American free speech through more than a decade of death threats." He also wrote that the criticism directed towards Geller for supposedly striking up religious hatred was "scary" and compared Geller to the cartoonists who were killed during the Charlie Hebdo shooting.[122]
Bret Stephens, columnist for The Wall Street Journal, put Geller's speech in the same category as Bill Maher or the writers of Charlie Hebdo — legitimate speech against Islamism — and commented, "I say Islamist because there is a rich history of Muslim depictions of Muhammad." He also added that "those [who] blame Geller for the provocation are blaming the victim just as those who say rape victims are asking for it." Stephens went on to argue that a "society that rejects the notion of a heckler's veto cannot accept the idea of a murderer's veto..."[123]
Rich Lowry, writing in Politico, defended Geller's idea that the contest and exhibit's purpose was about freedom of speech:
Respectable opinion can't bear the idea that she has become a symbol of free speech, which once upon a time was — and still is, when convenient — one of the highest values of the media and the left. If Geller were a groundbreaking pornographer like the loathsome Larry Flynt, someone would already be planning a celebratory biopic of her life. If she were a gadfly sticking it to a major Western religion rather than to Islam, she might be considered more socially acceptable.[124]
Criticism of Geller and AFDI[]
On the day after the shooting, Donald Trump, appearing on Fox & Friends, questioned Geller's motives. He said, "It looks like she's just taunting everybody. What is she doing? Drawing Mohammed and it looks like she's actually taunting people. (...) You know, I'm one that believes in free speech, probably more than she does. But what's the purpose of this?" In response to Trump's remarks, Bill O'Reilly said in his program The O'Reilly Factor, "Mr. Trump is correct. By setting up a contest and awarding $10,000 for a depiction of the Prophet Mohammed, the American Freedom Defense Initiative spurred a violent attack. (...) Insulting a religion with more than a billion followers does not advance the cause of defeating the fanatical jihadists. It hurts the cause."[125][126]
Fox News' On the Record host Greta Van Susteren criticized Geller for putting police officers' lives in danger. She said, "It's one thing for someone to stand up for the First Amendment and put his own you-know-what on the line, but here, those insisting they were defending the First Amendment were knowingly putting officers' lives on the line — the police."[127]
Geller and Islamist Anjem Choudary appeared on Hannity on Fox News to debate the merits of AFDI's contest. In response to host Sean Hannity's question about whether Choudary supported an unverified ISIL fatwa[128] and posted on an anonymous message board calling for Geller's death, he replied, "This isn't Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck they were drawing. This is the prophet. This woman wants to have people draw cartoons that insult the prophet knowing full well that carries the death penalty in Islam. So definitely, she's asking people to attack." When Hannity asked whether he thought Geller should die, Choudary said, "She should be tried in a sharia court, be found guilty, and, of course, she would face capital punishment." After Hannity reminded Choudary that Geller is not a Muslim, he continued, "You can't go down that road, insulting Muslims, and think the Muslims aren't going to retaliate back. I would attack someone if they insult my mother, let alone the prophet who I love 100 times more."[129]
Garland Mayor Douglas Athas said he wished Geller had not chosen his town for her event and explained, "Her actions put my police officers, my citizens and others at risk. Her program invited an incendiary reaction. She picked my community, which does not support in any shape, passion or form, her ideology. (...) But at the end of the day, we did our jobs, we protected her freedoms and her life".[130]
In an interview with The New York Times, the editor of Charlie Hebdo, Gérard Biard, rejected "attempts by right-wing activists to exploit that attack for their own agendas". He also added, "We have nothing to do with Pamela Geller's work. When Islam or the Prophet Muhammad jump out of the news, we comment on it, we mock it, maybe. But we are not obsessed about it."[131]
See also[]
- 2015 Copenhagen shootings
- Charlie Hebdo shooting
- List of terrorist incidents, 2015
- Everybody Draw Mohammed Day
- Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
- List of Islamist terrorist attacks
Notes[]
- ^ The case is Bruce Joiner v. United States of America and was filed in the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division with case number 3:17-cv-02692-S.
- ^ Scholer's memorandum opinion and order, filed December 21, 2018, may be found at https://dockets.justia.com/docket/texas/txndce/3:2017cv02692/293751 or https://freebeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Motion-to-Dismiss-Order.pdf .
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Martin, Naomi; Leszcynski, Ray (May 11, 2015). "Garland police say they had no tip about attack at Culwell Center". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
- ^ "DOCUMENTS: TEXAS SHOOTING SUSPECTS WANTED TO JOIN ISIS". 12News. July 3, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ^ "Garland, Texas, shooting suspect linked himself to ISIS in tweets". CNN. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "BREAKING: Shooting At Muhammad Art Exhibit In Garland « CBS Dallas/Fort Worth". dfw.cbslocal.com. May 3, 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Two gunmen shot dead by cops after opening fire outside controversial 'Prophet Muhammad' art exhibit in Texas". New York Daily News. May 3, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Martin, Naomi (May 26, 2017). "Security guard injured in Garland terror attack tormented by belief that FBI knew of ISIS plot". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on November 19, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ "Cop shares gunfight lessons from ISIS-inspired 'Draw the Prophet' terrorist attack". March 30, 2017. Archived from the original on February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Cooper, Anderson (March 26, 2017). "60 Minutes investigates first ISIS-claimed attack in U.S. and what the FBI knew". CBS News. Archived from the original on February 13, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Shepherd, Todd (October 2, 2017). "Victim of 'Draw Muhammad' ISIS-inspired terror attack sues FBI, accuses James Comey of cover-up". Washington Examiner. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Julie Watson (May 5, 2015). "Doubts raised about Islamic State claim in Texas attack". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 9, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- ^ "IS says it was behind US Prophet cartoon attack". BBC. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "Texas shooting: Islamic State claims responsibility for first US attack as gunmen named". The Telegraph. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "ISIS claims responsibility for Texas attack". CBS News. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 6, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Clay County man enters guilty plea to bomb charge". Clay Today. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "United States v. JOSHUA RYNE GOLDBERG Criminal Complaint". United States Department of Justice. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- ^ "Neo-Nazi, radical feminist and violent jihadist - all at once". BBC News. September 21, 2015. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
- ^ "Internet troll Joshua Goldberg attempted to incite terror attacks in Melbourne". news.com.au. Archived from the original on February 13, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- ^ Ralph Ellis and Greg Botelho, CNN (September 10, 2015). "Man accused of bomb plot at 9/11 event, FBI says - CNN.com". CNN. Archived from the original on September 14, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
- ^ Tim McLaughlin; Mark Hosenball (May 9, 2015). "Exclusive: Why a company chairman supported a Prophet Mohammad cartoon event". Reuters. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Traffic cop killed both attackers at Mohammed exhibit in Texas". USA Today. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ ""That's Why I Draw You": An Interview with Bosch Fawstin". the Undercurrent. May 26, 2015. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
- ^ Thomas Lifson (May 4, 2015). "The Muhammad cartoon that won the Draw Muhammad contest". American Thinker. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Naheed Rajwani (May 4, 2015). "Garland cartoon contest winner reacts to shooting: "They came to kill us and died for it. Justice."". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "The Koran Does Not Forbid Images of the Prophet", Newsweek, January 9, 2015, archived from the original on May 9, 2015, retrieved May 5, 2015
- ^ Burke, Daniel (January 9, 2015). "Why Islam forbids images of Mohammed". BBC. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
- ^ "The issue of depicting the Prophet Muhammad". BBC. January 14, 2015. Archived from the original on January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
- ^ "Andre Carson to become first Muslim on House Committee on Intelligence". NPR. January 13, 2015. Archived from the original on April 27, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "Keith Ellison profile". biography.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Eugene Volokh (April 29, 2015). "Congressmen Keith Ellison and André Carson call for denial of visa to Dutch legislator Geert Wilders". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 8, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "2 Gunmen Killed Outside Community Center Hosting 'Draw the Prophet' Show". ABC News. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Police raid home of gunman in Mohammad cartoon attack in Texas". Reuters. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Doubts raised about Islamic State's claim in Texas attack". Yahoo! News. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "FBI sent alert about gunman before Texas shooting". BBC News. May 7, 2015. Archived from the original on May 8, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ "FBI Was Aware Shooter Was Interested in Garland Event". NBC DFW. May 7, 2015. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ "FBI Warned Garland PD Before Muhammad Exhibit Shooting". CBS DFW. May 7, 2015. Archived from the original on May 10, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ "Chief: Memo wouldn't have changed cartoon contest response". Yahoo! News. May 11, 2015. Archived from the original on May 14, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
- ^ Chasmar, Jessica (January 18, 2015). "'Stand With Prophet' event in Texas draws thousands of protesters". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Merchant, Nomaan; Stengle, Jamie (May 3, 2015). "City: 2 gunmen killed outside Muhammad cartoon contest". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "As graduations near, some fear Garland ISD's Culwell Center now a target". The Dallas Morning News. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "Islam debate returns to Garland ISD's Culwell Center with Muhammad art event". The Dallas Morning News. April 27, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Holly Yan, CNN (May 5, 2015). "Who are the gunmen behind the Texas shooting?". CNN. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Charge links Garland shooters' trainer to ISIS list of U.S. troops". Dallas Morning News. December 25, 2015. Archived from the original on December 29, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
- ^ "Cop shares gunfight lessons from ISIS-inspired 'Draw the Prophet' terrorist attack". PoliceOne. September 15, 2017. Archived from the original on February 13, 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Garland police: Suspects were 'there to shoot people'". WFFA. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "SWAT team killed Muhammad cartoon contest's gunmen, not lone officer: Texas police chief". New York Daily News. May 11, 2015. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
- ^ "2 gunmen shot dead outside Muhammad Art Exhibit in Garland". wfaa.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "2 Dead In Shooting At Muhammad Art Exhibit In Garland". CBS DFW. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on December 19, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ Gerardo Martinez (May 3, 2015). "2 dead after gunfire outside Muhammad cartoon exhibit in Garland". cbs19.tv. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "Two suspects killed, officer injured after shooting outside Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas". foxnews.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "Report: gunfire erupts outside Texas anti-Islam event". fox4kc.com. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Police Search Phoenix Apartment of Curtis Culwell Center Attack". Alaska Native News. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nadir Hamid Soofi: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Profile: Texas gunmen Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi". BBC News. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Man indicted for allegedly helping Mohammed cartoon contest attackers". CNN. June 17, 2015. Archived from the original on June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Arizona man involved in Texas attack charged with supporting ISIS". CBS News. December 24, 2015. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Arizona man linked to cartoon contest attack faces new charges". CNN. December 26, 2015. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "ELTON SIMPSON, SHOOTER IN TEXAS PROPHET CARTOON CONTEST, FROM ILLINOIS". ABC 7 Chicago. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "Elton Simpson: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "One Texas suspect was accused in 2010 FBI terror case". Washington Post. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ "Phoenix mosque is a familiar FBI target". The Arizona Republic. May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "2 Garland shooters' lives twined to tragic end". dallasnews.com. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 6, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Accused Texas gunman well-known to FBI before attack". San Francisco Chronicle. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "AMERICAN TERROR SUSPECT ID'D IN TEXAS ATTACK". NL Times. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on October 12, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ Tom Cleary (May 4, 2015). "Elton Simpson: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "Official: One of Texas Shooting Suspects IDed". Yahoo! News GMA. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Sean Holster (May 7, 2015). "Phoenix mosque is long-standing FBI target". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 12, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Gunman's hashtag hinted at Texas plot". Jacksonville Times-Union. Associated Press. May 6, 2015. Archived from the original on January 23, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ Sean Holstege (March 6, 2008). "Phoenix man guilty of aiding terrorists". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
- ^ Sean Holstege and Matthew Casey, The Arizona Republic (May 6, 2015). "What drove Phoenix duo to murderous Texas plot?". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ "Texas shooting: FBI had monitored gunman Elton Simpson since 2006". the Guardian. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
- ^ "Texas police are looking into whether a shooting at a Muhammad cartoon contest was a terrorist attack". Business Insider. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "Garland Shooting Suspect's Private Messages: 'The Noose Is Tightening'". Yahoo! News GMA. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "Did ISIS instruct Texas gunmen to attack?". CBS News. May 6, 2015. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- ^ "Muhammad cartoon contest shooting consistent with 'lone wolf' attack, White House says". Washington Times. May 6, 2015. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "ISIS jihadi linked to Garland attack has long history as hacker". KTVQ. May 7, 2015. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Texas attacker had private conversations with known terrorists". CNN Politics. May 7, 2015. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
- ^ New York Times: "Gunman in Texas Shooting Was F.B.I. Suspect in Jihad Inquiry," By MANNY FERNANDEZ, RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA and FERNANDA SANTOS Archived February 28, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, May 4, 2015
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Father of Texas Shooter Nadir Soofi Says He Was 'Pushed' Into Attack". Newsweek. May 6, 2015. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
- ^ Weiss, Jeffrey (May 4, 2015). "Garland shooter's mom says her son died near where he was born, gave no hint of violence". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Texas gunman's mother: 'He just had a normal American upbringing'". Los Angeles Times. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 8, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "Slain gunmen in Texas attack seen as "quiet," "respectful"". CBS News. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 6, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nadir Soofi: Texas gunman had happy childhood in Pakistan but struggled in US". Raw Story. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "2 Garland shooters' lives twined to tragic end". The Dallas Morning News. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 6, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Texas gunman attended U. of U. from '98 to '03". The Salt Lake Tribune. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 6, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ "Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi Named as Gunmen in Texas Attack". NBC News. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "The Latest on prophet cartoon case: 1 man's mom speaks out". seattlepi. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "'Draw Muhammad' Contest Shooting: Grandmother Calls Nadir Soofi 'a Good Boy'". NBC News. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on June 9, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "ISIS Claims Responsibility For Garland Attack". cbslocal.com. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Man allegedly helped plan Texas cartoon contest shooting". FOX News. June 17, 2015. Archived from the original on June 16, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem update: Trial set for Phoenix man tied to Texas shooting". ABC 15. July 2, 2015. Archived from the original on July 7, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
- ^ "ISIS claims responsibility for Texas shooting but offers no proof". CNN. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 19, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
- ^ Santos, Fernanda (March 17, 2016). "Guilty Verdict for Aiding in Attack on Anti-Islam Cartoon Event in Texas". New York Times. Archived from the original on February 24, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
- ^ "Islamic State claims responsibility for Texas cartoon attack". Yahoo! News. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "ISIS claims responsibility for Texas shooting, threatens more attacks". CNN. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "Texas attack inspired but not directed by Islamic State: Pentagon chief". Agence France-Presse. May 7, 2015. Archived from the original on September 22, 2018. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
- ^ Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Ash Carter and General Martin E. Dempsey in the Pentagon Briefing Room Archived July 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, United States Department of Defense (May 7, 2015).
- ^ "Iraq Progresses in ISIL Fight, Key Extremist Confirmed Dead". U.S. Department of Defense. August 28, 2015. Archived from the original on August 29, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ "Junaid Hussain, ISIS Recruiter, Reported Killed in Airstrike". The New York Times. August 27, 2015. Archived from the original on August 30, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ "British hacker is No 3 on Pentagon 'kill list'". The Sunday Times. August 2, 2015. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ "Junaid Hussain: How a Boy From Birmingham Became ISIS's Leading Hacker". Newsweek. August 27, 2015. Archived from the original on August 31, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ Michael Safi (August 12, 2015). "Isis 'hacking division' releases details of 1,400 Americans and urges attacks". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ "'Aussie jihadi' behind 9/11 memorial threat is actually a Jewish-American internet troll". The Daily Telegraph. September 13, 2015. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- ^ "Australian Online ISIS Jihadist Turns Out to Be Florida Jew". Haaretz. September 13, 2015. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- ^ "Florida Jew arrested for posing as online jihadist, encouraging terrorism". Times of Israel. September 13, 2015. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- ^ "Cornyn: Contest an expression of Free Speech". The Daily Journal. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- ^ "The Latest on prophet cartoon case: SWAT helped kill gunmen". Chron. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ MAAMOUN YOUSSEF, U.S. News & World Report: "Islamic State Says Cartoon Attack Our Work Islamic State group claims responsibility for Texas attack targeting cartoon contest center" Archived October 12, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, usnews.com, May 5, 2015.
- ^ Nathan Koppel (May 5, 2015). "Muhammad Cartoon Contest Winner Retreats Into Hiding". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ Letitia Stein; Colleen Jenkins (May 5, 2015). "Mohammad cartoonist says U.S. police killing of two gunmen 'justice'". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
- ^ "Garland ISD to review policies for booking event centers". KHOU. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 19, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- ^ Sara Sidner; Ed Payne (May 30, 2015). "Mohammed cartoon contest: Protest held outside Phoenix mosque". CNN. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ Owen Boss; Antonio Planas; O'Ryan Johnson; Bob McGovern (June 2, 2015). "Roslindale man killed in showdown with anti-terror task force". The Boston Herald. Archived from the original on June 2, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ^ "Boston shooting: Suspect plotted to behead Pamela Geller, sources say". CNN. June 3, 2015. Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ^ "Pamela Geller vs. CNN Host on Mohammed Cartoon Contest Shooting: "We're Abridging Our Freedoms So As Not To Offend Savages"". Real Clear Politics. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ "Garland shooting stirs debate about cartoon contest". WFAA. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "Garland Officer Saved Lives at Muhammad Art Contest, Police Say". NBC DFW. May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ^ "Garland, Texas, shooter bought gun in 2010 during Fast and Furious". The Chicago Tribune. August 1, 2015. Archived from the original on August 3, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Shepherd, Todd (January 15, 2018). "FBI, DOJ Argue for Dismissal of Suit About Garland, Texas Attack". Washington Free Beacon. Archived from the original on December 6, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Shepherd, Todd (January 5, 2019). "Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Alleging FBI Role in 2015 Terror Attack in Texas". Washington Free Beacon. Archived from the original on January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
- ^ Randy Barnett (May 7, 2015). "Eugene Volokh interviewed about free speech by Megyn Kelly". Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
- ^ Musa al-Gharbi (May 11, 2015). "Pamela Geller is a coward: Right-wing media's big lie and shocking MLK slander". Salon. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ Victor Davis Hanson (May 12, 2015). "The First — and a Half — Amendment". Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
- ^ Bret Stephens (May 11, 2015). "In Defense of Pamela Geller: A society that rejects the notion of a heckler's veto cannot accept the idea of a murderer's veto". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on June 2, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ Rich Lowery (May 6, 2015). "Why Won't Pamela Geller Shut Up?". Politico. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ Jenn Selby (May 5, 2015). "Donald Trump lambasts 'disgusting' Pam Geller for baiting Muslims with 'draw the prophet' contest in Texas". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 8, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ Bill O'Reilly (May 5, 2015). "Defeating the Jihad by Not Being Dumb". billoreilly.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ Erik Wemple (May 6, 2015). "Fox News's Greta Van Susteren scolds Pamela Geller". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 8, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ Kaufman, Scott Eric (May 6, 2015). "ISIS Claims to Have 71 Soldiers in 15 States Ready to Kill Pam Geller and Any Who Defend Her". Salon. Archived from the original on May 19, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ Kaufman, Scott Eric (May 7, 2015). ""You Want Her to Die!": Watch Pam Geller and Anjem Choudary Brawl on "Hannity"". Salon. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ Ray Leszcynski, Todd J. Gillman and Michael E. Young (May 6, 2015). "Islamic State claims Garland attack; White House says possible link being investigated". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ Rick Gladstone (May 5, 2015). "Charlie Hebdo Editor Seeks to Distance Newspaper From Anti-Islam Causes". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 30, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- 2015 in Texas
- 2015 crimes in the United States
- Attacks in the United States in 2015
- Crimes in Texas
- Deaths by firearm in Texas
- Defensive gun use
- Cultural depictions of Muhammad
- Failed terrorist attempts in the United States
- Freedom of speech in the United States
- Garland, Texas
- ISIL terrorist incidents in the United States
- Islamic terrorism in Texas
- Islamic terrorism in the United States
- May 2015 crimes in the United States
- May 2015 events in the United States
- People shot dead by law enforcement officers in the United States
- Terrorist incidents in Texas
- Terrorist incidents in the United States in 2015