Update on the Murder of Private William Long in Arkansas

Compared to the murder of abortion doctor George Tiller, the killing of Private Long and the serious wounding of his colleague by a Muslim convert outside a Little Rock recruiting centre has gotten surprisingly little coverage in the media.

This was a terrorist attack on American soil, the first time that a serving soldier has been killed on American soil since 9/11.

Judge Alice Lightle has now issued a gagging order with regard to the case, meaning that police and court officials will not be able to discuss it or disclose trial details.

Some have emerged anyway, it seems.

Abdul Hakim Mujahid Muhammad says that he committed no crime in killing Private Long. He claims that the act was perfectly justified - by the tenets of Jihad.

"Yes, I did tell the police upon my arrest that this was an act of retaliation, and not a reaction on the soldiers personally," Muhammad said. He called it "a act, for the sake of God, for the sake of Allah, the Lord of all the world, and also a retaliation on U.S. military."

Muhammad, 23, said he wanted revenge for claims that American military personnel had desecrated copies of the Quran and killed or raped Muslims. "For this reason, no Muslim, male or female, sane or insane, little, big, small, old can accept or tolerate," he said.

He said the U.S. military would never treat Christians and their Scriptures in the same manner.

"U.S. soldiers are killing innocent Muslim men and women. We believe that we have to strike back. We believe in eye for an eye. We don't believe in turning the other cheek," he said.

The suspect's lawyers are arguing that their client was corrupted by hardened terrorists when he was incarcerated in Yemen for two weeks.

Other reports suggest he had already dabbled with Islam in the United States and travelled to Yemen for further guidance and training.

Despite technically being killed in battle by an enemy of the US and its military, Long was denied a funeral with full military honours.

On Saturday, a memorial service held for him was disrupted by a Muslim woman screaming that 'Jesus was a Muslim'.