Family of man killed by police saw no signs of radicalization, lawyer says

Associated Press

BOSTON

The family of a Boston man shot to death by terrorism investigators was shocked by allegations that he planned to kill police officers, and saw no signs that he had become radicalized, their attorney said Thursday.

Ronald Sullivan, a Harvard Law professor, said Usaama Rahim’s family considered him “an energetic young man trying to make his way in this world” and saw no behavior or changes in demeanor that would lead them to suspect he would espouse violence.

Surrounded by Rahim’s brothers, mother and wife on the sidewalk where Rahim was shot, Sullivan said they hope to work “productively and cooperatively” with investigators in a “joint effort to search for the truth.”

“Let me be clear: The family is not making any substantive claims at this time about what happened in this case,” Sullivan said. He said the family planned to view a video of the shooting later Thursday, but said that may not tell the whole story.

Rahim, 26, was fatally shot Tuesday after investigators said he refused to drop a military-style knife as they sought to question him about “terrorist-related information.” Police have said the video shows officers backing up and Rahim moving toward them before they fired.

Police Commissioner William Evans said Rahim had talked about beheading blogger Pamela Geller before deciding to target police officers. “There was some mention of that name,” said Evans, who dismissed the idea as “wishful thinking” while speaking on the “Today” show.

A Muslim leader said Thursday that his killing by Boston Police and the FBI was reckless and unnecessary. Imam Abdullah Faaruuq, who is close to the Rahim family, said he believes they wanted him dead.

Geller is known for provoking Muslims by campaigning against a mosque near the World Trade Center site in New York, sponsoring inflammatory advertisements and organizing Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas.

“They want to make an example out of me to frighten the rest of the U.S. into silence and submission,” Geller wrote in an e-mail to the AP on Thursday.