Thread: Black American, Douglas McAuthur McCain, Dies Fighting for ISIS in Syria

American Douglas McAuthur McCain Dies Fighting for ISIS in Syria

BY CASSANDRA VINOGRAD AND AMMAR CHEIKH OMAR

American Douglas McAuthur McCain Dies Fighting for ISIS in Syria
NBCNews.com - 4 minutes ago

The battle in itself seemed tragically normal. Two Syrian opposition groups fought and there were heavy casualties on both sides. Then victorious rebels rifled through the pockets of the dead. One contained about $800 in cash -- and an American passport.

Douglas McAuthur McCain, of San Diego, California, was killed over the weekend fighting for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), according to the Free Syrian Army. Photos of McCain's passport and of his body -- which feature a distinctive neck tattoo -- have been seen by NBC News. According to an activist linked to the Free Syrian Army who also saw the body and travel document, McCain was among three foreign jihadis fighting with ISIS who died during the battle. The State Department was not immediately able to comment on the report.

NBC News has contacted several members of McCain’s family and dozens of friends – including his mother, sister, aunts and cousins. A woman who said she was McCain's aunt confirmed that he had "passed" and referred calls to McCain’s mother.

FACEBOOK

A profile photo taken from the Facebook page of a man calling himself "Duale ThaslaveofAllah" has been identified by NBC News as Douglas McAuthur McCain, 33, an American who killed over the weekend in Syria.

McCain, 33, called himself "Duale ThaslaveofAllah" on Facebook and his Twitter bio reads: "It's Islam over everything." But how did this would-be rapper go from shooting hoops in a blue-collar area of Minnesota to dying in the civil war thousands of miles from home? This is his story -- one shared in part by only a "small handful" of Americans believed to be fighting in Syria with ISIS.

'He Was a Goofball in High School'

Douglas McAuthur McCain was born in Illinois on Jan. 29, 1981. His family later moved to Minnesota's Twin Cities area where he attended Robbinsdale Cooper High School in New Hope as part of the class of 1999.

Classmates at the school – which was described to NBC News as around 75 percent white and 10 percent African American - recalled an “always smiling” joker who liked to laugh and play basketball. McCain wasn’t on the high school team and didn't come across as religious, according to one basketball buddy.

“He was a goofball in high school,” that classmate told NBC News. “Doug was a fun guy to be around. Played basketball, joked a lot, had a small sense of humor. Got along with most … Wasn't the best athlete, but liked to play.”

Another classmate recalled going to teen nights on Fridays at the local YMCA to play basketball and dance. McCain "was a good guy who loved his family and friends," the classmate said. "He would be the light in anyone's darkness. He always made you smile with his goofy self."

After he graduated, McCain stuck around the Twin Cities for at least a while. Public records searches show several run-ins with the law. One mugshot of a Douglas McAuthur McCain details an arrest in 2000 at the age of 19 in New Hope on charges of disorderly conduct. Another arrest record – also from New Hope - shows the same man was arrested again in 2006 and booked on charges of obstruction. The mugshot from that arrest also clearly appears to be McCain – and has the same neck tattoo that is seen in Facebook photos of McCain on his "Duale ThaslaveofAllah" account - and the body found on the Syrian battlefield. NBC News confirmed on Tuesday that he was convicted of both charges.

Around 2004, McCain "reverted" to Islam, according to his Twitter feed.

'He Respected My Christianity'

McCain's devotion to his faith was evident to many who met him on his travels, which included at least one trip to Sweden to rap - making friends and basketball buddies along the way. Several Swedes told NBC News that they met him on a visit there – between three and four years ago – when he performed in the town of Vasteras, near Stockholm and attended an underground rap show.

Kevin Törnström Kohlin remembered seeing McCain’s basketball skills on display at a game in Vasteras – and bonding over a shared love of Rick Ross and Ace Hood.

“He's a good dribbler, passer and great at taking care of the phase of the game when he got the ball,” Kohlin told NBC News. “He was like a really nice guy. He smiles a lot and brings a lot of good energy.”

“We would talk just a little bit about religion,” Kohlin added. “He respected my Christianity.”

At some point, McCain moved to California. His Facebook profile states that he studied at San Diego City College; it was not immediately clear if he had graduated.

Until early last year, a Twitter account linked to McCain included mostly mundane messages to friends about basketball – how the Lakers suck, comments about the Chicago Bulls – with only a few messages about Allah or Islam. The most political it got appeared to be a #FreeGaza tweet on Jan 2, 2013. There was also a message posted around the same time, with an image of a woman in a burqa and the words "there is nothin like a mother love."

Then the account went silent for more than a year.

Sometime in between, McCain reportedly worked at a Somali restaurant in San Diego – African Spice – and was known around the Masjid Nur mosque, according to an acquaintance.

“He was a normal guy, who was social, open-minded, like to smile always, and always wanted to be a good Muslim,” the acquaintance from the restaurant said.

McCain’s online life also painted the picture of a devout Muslim who deeply loved his family – along with Pizza Hut and hip-hop. His likes on Facebook ranged from “Quaran and Hadith” to “The Khilafah in Universe,” “A Way to Paradise” to “Craziest Street Fights,” “The American Comedy Co.” to “The Black Flag.”

“Allah keeps me going day and night. Without Allah, I am no one,” read one photo post. Others took a darker turn – posts featured the black flag of ISIS and other militant propaganda photos. In September 2010, he posted an ominous image: “They are coming back soldiers of Allah.”

A MySpace profile linked to Duale – and with the same images as elsewhere on social media – contains similar messages, with pictures of the sometime rapper striking poses. In one photo, he clutches a Quran. “The quran is all I need in this life of sin,” reads another caption.

'I'm With the Brothers Now'

When McCain’s Twitter account sprung back into activity on May 13, the messages again spoke of Islam.

“I reverted to Islam 10 years ago and I must say In sha Allah I will never look back the best thing that ever happen to me,” he posted.

McCain - or Duale, as he had come to be known - then appeared to strike up online friendships with several self-proclaimed jihadis.

On April 3, McCain retweeted the full English translation of the speech of Abu Muhammad al-Adnani – the spokesman for ISIS.

Soon after, it appears that McCain’s travels took him to Turkey, a common jihadi route into Syria. Three people told NBC News that they met McCain – who they referred to as Duale – three months ago in in the Istanbul neighborhood of Sultanahmet. Two said they met him at the Burger King, where they ate and talked about the NBA.

U.S. officials have said “a small handful” of Americans are believed to be fighting with ISIS. Earlier this month, a new ISIS propaganda video claimed to feature an American citizen. And in July, chilling video emerged purporting to show the first American to carry out a suicide attack in Syria burning his U.S. passport and issuing threats against the West. The video ofMoner Mohammad Abusalha, who grew up in Florida, underscored concerns about the flow of foreign fighters to Syria.

Those have been amplified by an ISIS video narrated by an apparent Westerner and showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley - and the story of McCain.

On June 9, Duale wrote to an alleged ISIS fighter on Twitter: “I will be joining you guys soon.” He also asked if another self-proclaimed ISIS fighter had made it to “r town” – an apparent reference to Raqqa, the militants' Syrian stronghold.

Then came another post: “I’m with the brothers now.” Later, he retweeted: “It takes a warrior to understand a warrior. Pray for ISIS.”

His final Twitter post was last Tuesday.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/am...-syria-n189081

American Douglas McAuthur McCain Dies Fighting for ISIS in Syria

• 
  FBI AND DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WARN local law enforcement officials that US airstrikes in Iraq could provoke a lone-wolf retaliation by Islamic State sympathizers in the US, Fox News has learned.
  
  
• US drones begin flights over Syria | VIDEO: US drones begin flights over Syria
• ISIS reportedly demands $6.6M ransom for 26-year-old American woman held hostage
• VIDEO: Would striking ISIS militants help Assad? | Account used to post Foley execution video ID'd
• VIDEO: Does ISIS threat warrant return of enhanced interrogation? | What would trigger US Syria strike?
• White House reportedly requested Qatar work to locate freed US hostage months ago

Black Muslims - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Muslims

Wikipedia
The phrase Black Muslims refers to African American Black nationalist organizations that describe themselves as Muslim. Some of these groups are not ...


Islam in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_the_United_States

Wikipedia
It is estimated that over 50% of the slaves imported to North America came from areas ..... A small number of Black Muslims however rejected these new reforms ...‎Michael Wolfe - ‎Dalia Mogahed - ‎Asma Gull Hasan - ‎André Carson



Nation of Islam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_of_Islam

Wikipedia
A crowd of Black Muslims applaud during Elijah Muhammad's annual ... Farrakhan traveled across America speaking in city after city gaining new followers.


A History of Black Muslims in America : NPR

www.npr.org › News › Religion

NPR
Aug 23, 2005 - Allison Keyes offers an overview of the relationship between African Americans and the Islamic religion.


African-American Islam Reformed - The Pluralism Project

www.pluralism.org/resources/tradition/.../islam8.php

Pluralism Project
African Americans make up some 40 percent of the total Muslim population of the United States today. The term "Black Muslims," coined by Dr. C. Eric Lincoln in ...


Emergence of Islam in the African-American Community

www.answering-islam.org/ReachOut/emergence.html
Many African-Americans view Christianity as the White man's religion and .... A demographic study of Black Muslims by C. Eric Lincoln (5) revealed some ...


Black, Muslim, American: Interview with Dr. Jamillah Karim

www.theislamicmonthly.com/black-muslim-american-interview-with-dr-j...
Feb 27, 2013 - Because immigrant Muslims are so removed from America's underprivileged, some African American Muslims criticize them, accusing them of ...


Black Muslims In America - Street Interview - YouTube

► 6:34► 6:34

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpI4R_CF0DI
Dec 28, 2010 - Uploaded by 2umone
Black Muslims In America - Street Interview ... The Social Reality of Black Muslims in the U.S. by Free ...

Why are black people turning to Islam? | Richard Reddie ...
www.theguardian.com › Opinion › Religion
The Guardian
Oct 5, 2009 - Black Muslims in this country, just like in the US, have also gained a ... Black Muslims in Britain: Why are a growing Number of Young Black ...


Servants of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved in the Americas ...

www.danielpipes.org/.../servants-of-allah-african-muslims-e...
Daniel Pipes
On the one hand, Muslims rose to the top of the slave hierarchy (in at least one ... Most notably, it can be seen in the syncretic black religions of the Americas ...

Lost in a sea of ignorance, no direction and with our public schools no education, young people are no longer taught to love America or it greatest rather hold a disdain for our country.

Radical Muslims recruit criminals in U.S. prisons

Recent attempted attacks highlight the threat
By Stephen Levy - The Washington Times - Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Radical Muslims are using U.S. prisons to recruit hardened criminals for terrorist activities, counterterrorism experts told Congress on Wednesday.
Rep. Peter T. King, New York Republican and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said the hearing was called because “the danger remains real and present, especially because of al Qaeda’s announced intention to intensify attacks within the United States.”
Recent attempted attacks by Islamist convicts in California, Florida and New York highlight the threat, he said.
Several law enforcement specialists bolstered his statements.
“The prison population is vulnerable to radicalization by the same agents responsible for radicalizing Americans outside of the prison walls,” said Patrick Dunleavy, former deputy inspector for criminal intelligence for New York state prisons.
The testimony before the House Homeland
Security Committee followed an earlier hearing in March on Islamic radicalization in the United States that prompted protests by Islamic groups and committee Democrats.
U.S. officials have said several hundred Americans, many of whom converted to Islam in prison, traveled in the past several years to Yemen for terrorist training with al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Security officials say these converts could be used by terrorists to more easily pass through security screening.
Four witnesses at the hearing said the number of cases of prison inmates turning to radical Islam was small but the problem poses a serious national security threat.
“Radicalization of even a small fraction of this population holds high consequence for Americans and innocent people around the world,” said Deputy Chief Michael P. Downing, commander of counterterrorism for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Kevin Smith, former attorney general for California’s Central District, said radical clerics who convert inmates to their cause have passed along a distorted form of Islam he called “Prislam.”
The experts disagreed about whether radicalized convicts can communicate with terrorists outside prison, potentially increasing the danger of coordinated attacks.
Bert Useem, a sociology professor at Purdue University, said prison authorities had become more effective at limiting communication in and out of their facilities.
Mr. Dunleavy disagreed and said, “Despite appearances, prison walls are porous.”
The hearing sparked debate of the topic of Islamic radicalization between Republicans and Democrats, with many Democrats stating that hearing was too narrowly focused.
“Limiting this committee’s oversight of radicalization to one religion ignores threats posed by violent extremists of all stripes, and there are other threats to be concerned about,” said Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi Democrat and ranking member.
Laura Richardson, California Democrat, said the committee was unjustly singling out Muslims in its investigation of radicalization.
Mr. King said an earlier hearing triggered “mindless hysteria” by opponents of the hearing.
“Countering Islamic radicalization should not be a partisan issue,” he said. “I would urge my Democratic colleagues to rise above partisan talking points.”

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...#ixzz3BX9QWsY6
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

Radical Islamic Recruitment Inside US Prisons





Published on Apr 24, 2013
Learn more about the threat of radical Islam: http://www.clarionproject.org

Many prisoners become members of various communities to combat loneliness, and to ensure protection from the daily threats associated with life in jail. An unusually high number of convicts are being converted to Islam.

In particular, African Americans in the prison system are converting in large numbers. According to estimates, up to 20 percent of prisoners in the U.S. are Muslims. This figure is approximately 20 times higher than the national Muslim population average.

This excerpt from 'The Third Jihad' documents the high rate of inmate conversions to Islam and their indoctrination with an anti-American, violent ideology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-zovJJ2pYw