| 404 Points | The aftermath of the Washington-area sniper shootings could be long and complicated. Defense attorneys for John Allen Muhammad and Lee Malvo are suggesting their clients cannot get a fair trial, since everyone in the jury pool is a victim, at least in terms of suffering from fear and inconvenience brought by the shootings. Conservative media critics, quiet during most of the sniper scare, complained that coverage of captured sniper suspects Mr. Muhammad and Mr. Malvo repeatedly referred to them as "an Army veteran and a teenager," instead of describing the pair in more accurate, if politically incorrect, terms: as a member of the Nation of Islam and an illegal immigrant from Jamaica. Media stars also downplayed the suspects' admiration of the Sept. 11 attacks. Rev. Alan Archer, who runs the Lighthouse Mission in Bellingham, Wash., was the first to wave red flags in Mr. Muhammad's direction. Rev. Archer became suspicious last fall when Mr. Muhammad, who dropped in for several seven- to 10-day stays at the mission between August 2001 and January 2002, received calls at the shelter from airline ticket agents-pretty uncommon calls at a homeless shelter. James Mitton, an administrative assistant at the mission, told WORLD Mr. Muhammad was very cooperative about attending required chapel services at the mission, but did not participate much otherwise: "He didn't spent much time at the mission. He spent most of his time out in the community doing whatever he was doing." What he was doing was raising suspicion. Rev. Archer became so suspicious that he called the FBI last October. Mr. Muhammad seemed too quiet, too neat, and too polite, Rev. Archer later told reporters, adding that he suspected the man got his money from some terrorist group. The FBI would not say whether it investigated Rev. Archer's report. |
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