Terror Attack in Frisco?

Commenter Linearthinker alerted me to this piece by Yoni the Blogger about a hit and run (automobile) attack in San Francisco (yes I know - don't call Frisco, Frisco). He lists the locations of people hurt by street intersection. Linearthinker reminds me that the neighborhood is predominately Jewish.

CBS news of San Francisco says the driver's name is Omeed Aziz Popal.

Police have identified a man who killed a pedestrian with his sport utility vehicle in Fremont before going on a hit-and-run rampage in San Francisco today as 29-year-old Omeed Aziz Popal.

San Francisco police Sgt. Neville Gittens said Popal, a Fremont resident, faces 14 counts of attempted murder and various vehicle code charges.

Popal remains at San Francisco's Richmond District station this evening and will be booked into San Francisco County Jail tonight. District attorney's office spokeswoman Debbie Mesloh said it's unlikely he will be arraigned Wednesday and may be arraigned as late as Friday.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called the spree "a malicious and hateful act" in a statement issued this evening.

Of course murder is always hateful. I wonder what the governor is thinking? Note that none of the victims is named.

An FBI agent on his lunch break, a cyclist, a teenager and a 52-year-old woman are among Popal's 14 victims of in San Francisco, authorities said.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said this afternoon, "The investigation is occurring as we speak. At this stage, it's an indiscriminate act with no pattern. The victims are of all ages and all races."

The mayor visited three of the more seriously hurt at San Francisco General Hospital this afternoon.

Further down in the article we find that there may be some reason other than general hatefulness for the rampage.

The youngest victim is a teenager who suffered severe lacerations and surface wounds, Newsom said. The mayor said he also spoke to an older man hospitalized with fractures. According to authorities, other victims include a 53-year-old woman who was seriously hurt and a man who was hit while riding his bicycle outside the Jewish Community Center on California Street. The cyclist was treated and released.

So Linearthinker's charachterization of the neighborhood as predominately Jewish appears correct.

So let's see if we can figure this out. Feller with "Asian" name. Predominately Jewish neighborhood. I wonder what he had in mind?

The San Jose Mercury News reports:

Relatives of a Fremont man connected to Tuesday's deadly driving rampage said he may have been distraught after returning recently from Afghanistan without his newlywed wife who iswaiting for a visa.

Omeed Aziz Popal, 29, who sources said was being held by the San Francisco police, was normally a kind and gentle person, said Hamid Nekrawesh, 43, a first cousin in Fremont.

But a recent trip to Afghanistan to participate in an arranged marriage could have caused him a lot of stress, Nekrawesh said.

``He was a very respectful, quiet, nice guy,'' Nekrawesh said. ``I've never seen him do anything violent.''

Zarghona Ramish of San Jose, who also identified herself as Popal's cousin, said he had been having strange dreams since returning a month ago from Afghanistan.

Yeah, that's it. The arranged marriage. In Afghanistan. Wouldn't want to jump to any hasty conclusions.

I do have a question. Could he be a victim of Sudden Jihad Syndrome? There appears to be a minor epidemic of the disease in America. So far, this disease appears to be flying under the radar of our news media.

Fortunately it is being covered elsewhere by Daniel Pipes, and The Jerusalem Post, and Powerline, and Gus Van Horn, and Jeff Jacoby, and what do you know The New York Sun. Search "Sudden Jihad Syndrome" for much more. Most of the articles are reprints or refer back to the piece by Daniel Pipes. Jeff Jacoby and Gus Van Horn have good commentary.


Update: 30 Aug '06 1040z

Gateway Pundit has pictures, video links, maps and lots of other information. (Hat tip: LAT who has been quite busy with the story) (Note: when I was in the Navy I spent a lot of time drinking at the Presidio which is not far from these events)