On Friday, someone shot up a Macy’s make-up counter in Burlington, Washington, killing four women–aged 16 to 95–and a man. A suspect has been arrested: 20-year-old Arcan Cetin, a Muslim from Turkey. He has a record of assaulting his step-father, drunk driving, and selling drugs. Police say they don’t yet know a motive, but they aren’t ruling out terrorism.
So surely this couldn’t be Islamic terrorism, some might say. This guy is certainly not a good Muslim, what with his indulgence in forbidden substances and disrespect for his father.
But acts of jihad often grow out of a guilty conscience, a way to achieve self-atonement and forgiveness for one’s sins.
