The New York Times has had some confusing coverage of the Muslim men who were charged with plotting to attack New Jersey's Fort Dix in a terror plot. Let's take a look.
First we have David Kocieniewski's story from May 9:
For all of the suspects' talk of Holy War and martyrdom, investigators said there is little indication that they were devout -- or even practicing -- Muslims. There are no mosques in Cherry Hill and leaders at nearby Muslim houses of worship say they had never seen the suspects, though they were troubled to learn they had tried to use faith as a justification for their plan.
And then we have Kareem Fahim and Andrea Elliott reporting on May 10:
Religion Guided 3 Held in Fort Dix Plot
The three Duka brothers -- Eljvir, Shain and Dritan -- not only prayed here at the Al Aqsa Islamic Center, but also recently began repairing its roof.
The work came naturally to them, as members of a large family of ethnic Albanian immigrants who own more than a dozen roofing companies in New York and New Jersey. They fixed the roof free of charge, encouraged by their imam to do good deeds. One congregant said the men were storing up credit for "the afterlife."
Most recently we have Alan Feuer's story (italics mine) on May 14:
It is unclear what role, if any, religion played in the attack Mr. Shnewer and the five other men are charged with planning. (The sixth suspect, Agron Abdullahu, had no apparent connection with Al-Aqsa or the South Jersey Islamic Center.) The authorities have described the suspects as Islamic extremists, but the lengthy criminal complaint summarizing the F.B.I.'s 15-month undercover investigation of the group does not mention where -- or how often -- they prayed. Certainly there is no evidence that they picked up radical ideas at either mosque.
So first they were non-practicing Muslims who happened to discourse on martyrdom and Holy War.
Then they were, in fact, pious and devout Muslim men.
Finally it is unclear what role, if any, religion played in the planned attack.
I wonder where The New York Times is going with this!