Man 'ran down students to avenge Muslim deaths'
A US graduate from Iran, accused of running down nine people on campus to avenge the treatment of Muslims, said at a hearing today that he was “thankful for the opportunity to spread the will of Allah".
At about the same time, University of North Carolina students held what they called an “anti-terrorism” rally on the Chapel Hill campus.
Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, 22, is accused of driving a sport utility vehicle through The Pit, a popular campus gathering spot, injuring nine people last Friday. None of the victims was seriously hurt.
Police Chief Derek Poarch said Taheri-azar told investigators he intentionally hit people to “avenge the deaths of Muslims around the world.”
Taheri-azar made his first appearance in court today. He was assigned a public defender, but said after the hearing: “The truth is my lawyer.”
Taheri-azar was charged with nine counts of attempted murder and nine counts of assault. His bail was set at 5.5 million (£3.1 million).
Taheri-azar graduated from North Carolina in December after studying psychology and philosophy. Investigators believe he has spent most of his life in the US, Poarch said on Saturday.
The school’s chapter of the College Republicans helped organise today’s campus rally against terrorism.
“We don’t want terrorism here, and we’re not gonna stand for that where we live and where we go to school,” said Kris Wampler, a student at UNC and group member.
About 50 students attended the rally, including a group of Muslim students who debated with organisers and said Taheri-azar had not been linked to any terrorist group.
“When you think in terms of a global context, this was an isolated incident,” said Khurram Bilal Tariq, a 22-year-old junior.
The Muslim Students’ Association, which criticised the university’s student newspaper last month for publishing a cartoon that depicted the Prophet Muhammad, has said Taheri-azar was not a member of the group and denounced his alleged actions.
