[ April 19, 2024 ]
“It is my clinical opinion that, below the surface of his submission to Islam and embrace of enslavement to the law of Allah there lurked a self-destructiveness,” write the psychologist. And she may very well be right. He may have wanted to become a homicide bomber and kill himself while in the process of killing infidels. The really significant point here is that even if he was mentally ill, Islam was his point of reference to save himself and get into Allah’s good graces. Also, authorities all over the world constantly claim that jihadis aren’t really jihadis, they’re just mentally ill. He plotted to bomb Times Square, and should be sentenced accordingly.
“He plotted to bomb Times Square for ISIS. Records show he’s mentally ill. Is he a terrorist?,” by Stewart Bell, Global News, June 20, 2018 (thanks to Mark):
To Khdiga Metwally, the medical records spread across her kitchen table are more than a chronicle of her son’s history of addiction and mental illness; they are proof he is not a terrorist.
Story continues below advertisementAbdulrahman El Bahnasawy, a 20-year-old Canadian, faces a possible life sentence when he appears in a New York courtroom as early as next month for plotting a 2016 bombing at Times Square for the so-called Islamic State.
But his mother insists the case is not what it seems.
“Actually, it’s not a terrorist case, it’s a mental illness problem,” Metwally said in an interview at her home in an Oakville, Ont. suburb.
“We have all the reports that confirm that my son was sick.”
Those reports describe brain damage, bipolar disorder, obsessiveness and drug use beginning at age 14 that led to “huffing” — inhaling air fresheners, bug spray and anything else he could get his hands on.
In many ways, El Bahnasawy’s story is familiar: a youth radicalizes online and decides to kill in the name of ISIS. But medical records from four countries obtained by Global News make it more complicated.
The documents are an unprecedented and intimate look at the psyche of a young man who plotted mass killings in the West under the guidance of ISIS.
And they raise complicated questions.
To what extent does mental health explain the actions of some terrorists? Should terrorists with a history of mental illness be treated differently? Is a person with a mental illness, who engages in terrorism, still a terrorist?
The teen addict
“Abdulrahman has an extensive history of mental health problems and poor function, dating back to childhood,” according to a report by New York psychologist Katherine Porterfield, who reviewed El Bahnasawy’s medical files, met his family and spent 50 hours with him over nine months in 2017.
The medical records date back to the day he was born. In the delivery room in Kuwait City, his mother had a severe uterine rupture. The baby was delivered “swiftly,” according to the hospital report, but the traumatic birth may have deprived the infant of oxygen, possibly causing brain damage.
El Bahnasawy did not speak until he was four, according to Porterfield’s report for the U.S. legal defence team. He was an average student, “described as an anxious, hyperactive, and inattentive child.”
“His most consistent trait was his tendency to fixate or obsess about certain topics or interests,” Porterfield wrote. The solar system, soccer, computers and atheism all monopolized his attention during stages of his childhood. And once he tried marijuana, it became the latest of his all-encompassing obsessions.
He began “incessantly” talking about it. He researched how to grow it and droned on about how much he loved it. He argued with his parents about its benefits. “He essentially showed no interest in any other activities,” the psychologist wrote.
To get him away from what they saw as Canada’s “permissive society,” and hoping he would benefit from being closer to relatives, his parents returned the family to Kuwait. But even in the conservative Gulf state, El Bahnasawy had no trouble finding drugs.
He became addicted to chemical inhalants. When using them, he would hear a man’s voice that he thought came to him over radio waves. “He became one of my only friends and every time I wanted to talk to him I would get high and he was always there,” El Bahnasawy wrote in a letter to the judge hearing his case.
His parents got him into a Kuwait City hospital, where he was diagnosed with substance addiction and depression. To discourage him from relapsing, his father Osama El Bahnasawy videotaped him shaking from withdrawal.
WATCH: Canadian teen in NYC terror plot suffered withdrawal symptoms in hospital, father says
He stayed for 40 days.
But as soon as he got out, he went right back to drugs.
The family returned to Toronto and, after El Bahnasawy disclosed multiple suicide attempts and thoughts of throwing himself off the apartment balcony, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) admitted him.
CAMH records list the substances he had used: heroin, cannabis, LSD, mescaline, amphetamines, crack and ecstasy, among others. His files indicate he “did well” at the facility. But when he was discharged, he returned to drugs.
The family next tried a private addiction clinic in Alexandria, Egypt. The Alriyada Hospital thought the underlying problem was bipolar disorder, along with “fits of obsession together with psychotic symptoms,” records show. After seven months, he came out in June 2015, finally off drugs.
El Bahnasawy was 17 when he returned to Toronto and he knew nobody. The medication he was taking seemed to work but it made him gain weight and he stopped taking it. His mother tried slipping it into meals but he found out.
Although he hadn’t previously identified as a Muslim, El Bahnasawy rediscovered the faith after his parents forced him to attend a Mississauga Islamic school, which they felt would not tolerate drug use.
But like everything else, he took it to the extreme. He dropped out of school and did nothing but sit in his room exploring violent jihadist Internet content and chatting online with ISIS supporters.
“Much as he had done with drugs, Abdulrahman put all of his energy and focus into this activity online, even speaking compulsively to his parents and sister about his new beliefs,” Porterfield wrote.
The Plot
In the fall of 2015, ISIS members in Syria were desperately trying to launch attacks in Western countries. Abu Saad al-Sudani was one of them. U.S. prosecutors called him a “high-level ISIS recruiter and attack planner” active in plotting terrorism in the U.S., Canada and Britain.
Alone in his bedroom in suburban Ontario, El Bahnasawy, began to correspond with al-Sudani. He told al-Sudani he wanted to join ISIS. Al-Sudani said El Bahnasawy would need to prove himself first, so he bought cellphones and collected $500, which he sent to a list of names and addresses al-Sudani had provided.
Having passed his initiation, El-Bahnasawy was encouraged by al-Sudani to help ISIS achieve its ultimate fantasy: an attack on U.S. soil. The target was to be New York City, and the killings were to take place in June or July 2016, to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
A U.S. citizen living in Pakistan named Talha Haroon joined the attack plot and they agreed the operation would involve bombings and mass shootings at a concert venue or the subway, prosecutors alleged. Then a third plotter joined in, a U.S.-based member of the ISIS online network.
The conspirators “repeatedly declared their allegiance to ISIS” and said they wanted their attack to be like those in Paris and Brussels, prosecutors said. El Bahnasawy said he wanted to carry out the next 9/11.
“These Americans need an attack,” he wrote.
To prepare for the big day, El Bahnasawy bought bomb-making materials and components in Ontario, including 40 pounds of hydrogen peroxide, and shipped them to his U.S. contact.
On May 1, 2016, he sent the U.S.-based conspirator images and maps of the New York subway system that showed the routes the attackers would take and the subway lines they would strike, the prosecutors said.
Needing more money to see the operation through, El Bahnasawy consulted al-Sudani, who put him in touch with “The Doctor,” a Philippine citizen named Russell Salic, who allegedly wired $423 on May 11, 2016.
In the final weeks, El Bahnasawy made plans to travel to New York, using his parents as decoys. He told his U.S. contact he would be arriving “under the guise” of a family vacation. “I will be masked behind my parents back,” he wrote.
The day before the road trip, Haroon wrote that Times Square would be the perfect target. “We have to make an ocean out of their blood,” he wrote, “scar them for life knowing the soldiers of Allah are everywhere.”
The attack was to be a suicide mission, which Porterfield thought was telling. In her report, the psychologist said the hopelessness El Bahnasawy felt about beating addiction had led him to contemplate suicide. And the messaging of the extremist community offered him a path to that end.
“It is my clinical opinion that, below the surface of his submission to Islam and embrace of enslavement to the law of Allah there lurked a self-destructiveness,” she wrote.
“Essentially, Abdulrahman was engaged in a fantasy, the ultimate ending of which was his own destruction. As frightening as his ideas were, they can best be understood as psychological in nature — the terribly misguided thinking of a depressed young person who could not beat addiction.”…
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58 Comments
5 years ago
same mental illness as other jihadis.
It took Israelis to expose truth about Palestinian fakery and Lies and boy was Trump furious when he realised how he had been conned http://bit.ly/2rOmfyJ
5 years ago
We DO have Forensic Units in many mental health institutions in this country………
5 years ago
Yes, he’s mentally ill and a danger to himself and to everyone else. Jihad/Islam became his addiction just like drugs had been. It is possible for the guy to be mentally ill and a terrorist at the same time.
However, from a legal point of view, he doesn’t meet the standards of mental illness which is an inability to know what the heck you are doing, distinguish between right and wrong. This messed up kid knew exactly what he was doing, just refused to take his medication. Most severely mentally ill people aren’t capable of carrying out complicated schemes, let alone passing intiation rites to enter ISIS.
Who knows if he would have he would have turned to jihad if he weren’t sick, that’s what his mother is claiming. But he chose that. He’ll probably end up in a ward for the criminally insane and given medication, although I don’t know if prisoners can be forced to take medication. If he behaves, he’ll be out on parole. Who knows if he will still want to commit jihad even if he takes his meds? Homeland Security will have to keep an eye on him if he gets out.
5 years ago
Reply to
RCCA
Mental illness is lame excuse by pro-jihadis/Media to play down the crime.
Like this news of brutal gang rape of swedish girl and what they did to her is even worse
http://bit.ly/2z2rVov
But it was suppressed /played down !
5 years ago
Reply to
Suresh
As I tried to explain, there are different forms or levels of severity of mental illness. A person who is so out of touch with reality (from a psychotic break) that they are unaware of what they are actually doing is not criminally liable. Such a person should be housed in a hospital setting with security arrangements. The link you provided about a heinous crime, was not called mental illness; that was vicious evil, pure hatred.
Fundamentalist or moderate Muslims may or may not be mentally ill, may or may not actually commit to an act of jihad.
5 years ago
Reply to
RCCA
you are a racist for talking sense.
while you were asleep , all jihadi crimes are played down as “mental illness” by their left/Lib friends , politicians, media including gang rape by muslims.
5 years ago
Reply to
Suresh
According to Michael Youssef…..former ME Muslim who became a Christian, came to the US and formed the CHURCH OF THE APOSTLES in Georgia….there is no such thing as A “moderate Muslim”.
In his book: “JESUS, JIHAD, AND PEACE”, he very thoroughly explains why. I first saw him on FOX NEWS and FOX BUSINESS NEWS.
If a “moderate” Muslim is called on to kill the Infidels and they refuse….they themselves are killed. No matter if they are your mailman, cop on the beat, grocer, etc……
I urge everyone to get a copy of his book on Amazon….inexpensive and not very thick, but full of the truth about Islam….and what each of us should be on the alert to watch for….
5 years ago
Reply to
RCCA
…ship him and his family back to the ME…..I don’t feel like paying for his meds or his life….
5 years ago
He is probably both, but that still does not justify or excuse his horrific crimes.
5 years ago
every islamic terrorist in Canada is found not guilty because of mental illness = fact
5 years ago
Reply to
poortaxpayerwindsor
And don’t forget: They’ve got a multi-million dollar cheque waiting for them and a handshake from Tru-Dope!
5 years ago
Does anyone know what breed that monkey is, standing next to that disgusting sow?
5 years ago
Reply to
Achmed Mohandjob
It’s incredible how unhealthy, fat and ugly hijabbed women commonly look. I wonder if they suffer from vitamin D deficiencies?
5 years ago
Reply to
IzlamIsTyranny
More than likely. The sow is a cross-breed. But, what breed is that monkey?
5 years ago
Reply to
Achmed Mohandjob
The Japanese Macaque at least looks and acts intelligently, howlers are just ugly, loud-mouthed idiots by comparison.
5 years ago
Reply to
Achmed Mohandjob
Have you ever went to see the infamous Japanese Macaques of Jigokudani?
5 years ago
Reply to
Achmed Mohandjob
5 years ago
Reply to
IzlamDownpressesHumanity
Actually, I posted a picture of a baby Howler Monkey. There are fifteen known species of Howler monkeys …. I tried to pick out the “cutest” one … to more befit its mother’s line of bull.
5 years ago
“Those reports describe brain damage, bipolar disorder, obsessiveness and drug use beginning at age 14 that led to “huffing” — inhaling air fresheners, bug spray and anything else he could get his hands on……he had used: heroin, cannabis, LSD, mescaline, amphetamines, crack and ecstasy, among others.” Yep, he meets all the criteria to be sent to the rendering plant to be made into glue.
5 years ago
Reply to
santashandler
….aren’t those things against ISLAM? How is he still living? Under Islam he would have been killed…..
5 years ago
Reply to
ladywarrior
Yes but, he was just using all those so he would learn what’s best to use against the kufar.
5 years ago
Well duh!! I could have told them THAAAT! Wonder where she learned that, that, would be the thing to say, to keep her son, from prison. The word, MUST be getting around…like wildfire!
5 years ago
With Moslems there may be NO difference. The same with the left, lieberals and Demoncraps in America.
5 years ago
I used to know people who abused drugs, they never had any desire to kill people much less mass murder people.
5 years ago
Mental illness is almost a guaranteed result of the inbreeding favored by Muslims. You can dip into the family gene pool just so often before problems start to arise. Take a look at deeply Muslim nations and see the proportion of birth defects and children whose eyes face east and west and that drool a lot. And yet, because the Prophet advocated “keeping it in the family” that primitive practice continues today. It’s no wonder it is so easy to radicalize and program their youth.
5 years ago
A bullet to the brain and his maggot could be cured of all his ills and demons. It works with other dangerous animals.
5 years ago
He’s obviously mentally ill….He’s muslim.
5 years ago
They are all mentally ill, that is why they need to be deported back to their own shithole they destroyed; that means every IssssLaaammeest/mooseSlime.
5 years ago
Mental problems they say ? All Islamists have mental problems. Feeling sorry for him? Yes I feel sorry for all those practising the ideology, but having said that, they must all be destroyed as there are not enough prisons.
5 years ago
That’s the best plea; insanity. They put you in a psycho ward for a year. Then you’re cured and set free.
5 years ago
Reply to
Stephen Honig
And that is NOT justice, just an excuse to promote more dangerous acts.
5 years ago
ALL muslimes are Mentally Ill
5 years ago
Reply to
Cheryl
True, but to provide them treatment is really unnecessary. Unless they renounce their cult, they can never be cured.
5 years ago
Reply to
Sunshine Kid
very few will renounce; they are programmed from birth to hate anyone who does not think like them…robots…not given choices to think any other way…vs. American kids are usually given too many choices, and can easily end up in the more structured arms of muslimes…
5 years ago
Reply to
Cheryl
Some do, some don’t. Ever read Salman Rushdie’s book “Satanic Verses”? He was born into a muslim family. Not sure if he still is muslim, but he has a fatwa on his head for “insulting Islam” because of his book.
5 years ago
Reply to
Cheryl
Not mentally ill, but evil. There are mentally ill people who wont hurt you, but all evil people will.
5 years ago
To the point of this story’s title: ALL OF THE FOLLOWERS OF THE ISLAM DEATH CULT ARE “MENTALLY ILL”….and dangerous.
If her son is “mentally ill” who made him that way with the death cult teachings? Answer: the parents for 1400 hundred years…it’s now in their DNA….
5 years ago
Back in the late 70s my husband was stationed at a military base in California. We lived off base. One of my neighbors was Canadian….she said that the government actually paid people money to have kids…they were desperate to populate their country……
Justin’s Dad was trying to “populate” his kingdom…..and instead of good, contributing citizens he brought in those who will overwhelm and kill off the “good citizens”…..little Justin is just doing as Dad taught him…..
…the only bright spot at this point is the Conservative who just won in Ontario…..
5 years ago
Those who plot death and destruction should be put to death after trial. Give them ONE appeal, but after that, the rule on the right to swift justice should prevail over years of legal contests.
Besides, keeping killers alive for “humanity’s sake” is about as logical as killing perfectly healthy and defenseless babies for “health reasons”.
5 years ago
Give the sick little slime ball a bacon sandwich and a bible, cures every thing.
2stage healing process.
Make it eat the sandwich and then smack it HARD with the bible.
Repeat until cured.
5 years ago
They are all mentally ill, don’t you know? That is why lefties want more of them. It is noble goal to help mentally ill.
5 years ago
Their koran teaches them to be mentally ill. The parents teach this crap from birth. Parents are accomplices to this.
5 years ago
Apparently there’s an epidemic of mental illness in the Muslim community. Oddly it’s the same disorder they all seem to share, a compulsion to commit mass murder against non-Muslims. By a strange coincidence, this mental illness can also be found in Islamic texts which exhort Muslims to fight and kill the unbelievers until Islam reigns supreme.
Can a mental illness be learned or are the Quran/Hadiths contagious? Do they mean that Muslims have contracted a mind-virus? Also what is the treatment for such an illness? Given the very serious danger such a disease represents shouldn’t Muslims at least all be interned to protect us and themselves from harm?
Fine I’ll play along with this game that the Leftists/Muslims are pulling on us, but I don’t see it as being innocuous or harmless. If someone plans to commit mass murder they need to be jailed or executed as enemy combatants. If you want to claim they’re mentally ill that doesn’t get them off the hook, then they need to be locked up in mental institutions and monitored for life as we would with psychopaths and other lunatics who pose a danger to society.
5 years ago
The ones who fall for it, they are truly mentally ill.
Mentally ill traitors.
5 years ago
Of course he is mentally ill, he is a muslim after all!
5 years ago
THEY ARE ALL MENTAL.
FIGHT OR DON’T COMPLAIN.
5 years ago
Q: What do you call a sane muslim?
A: An apostate
5 years ago
Sure he’s mentally ill, just like everyone else that practices Islam. My question is, are his parents 1st cousins like most Mudhutters?
5 years ago
Of course the brain dead mother is trying to defend her useless son. Islam and mental illness seem to go hand-in-hand. She and her terrorist son should be deported and dropped off somewhere in Afghanistan. Am sick to death of seeing this sort of garbage in our countries.
