IMHO this is a terrorist act motivated by a hatred of America and American ideals.
......What little ideology I see in the Jihadists' statements seems to be a yearning to make the world adhere to its strict, literalist, fundamentalist version of Islam.....
I don't believe that this particular individual was/is a terrorist. But he certainly did adhere to a "strict, literalist, fundamentalist version of Islam".
What is scary is that I have seen/heard the same sort of slavish devotion to a strict, literalist, fundamentalist version of Christianity being preached/taught/disseminated/propagated by its "believers" in the West. They state that the Bible is
The Truth, and they want everyone to follow it and to believe the way that they do. And some of them are willing to force this view onto others, or impose harsh penalties on "others" to "persuade" them to see the error of their ways, and to conform to their (strict, literalist, fundamentalist) version. Even to the point of maiming or killing the un-believer, or his/her family.
It is, after all, for the good of the other person's soul.....as they would say.
Can anyone say Inquisition?I can't say that I see all that much difference between fanatics of any religion. Some of the words may change, but the intent remains the same, IMHO. "Repent or Die" is a motto that applies equally well, no matter which view is being espoused.