Muslim charged in Seattle Jewish shootings

SEATTLE, July 29 (UPI) -- A Muslim American yelled he was "angry at Israel" and opened fire at Seattle's Jewish Federation, killing one woman and injuring five other women.

Naveed Afzal Haq, 30, a U.S. citizen, was charged with one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder Friday night for what Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels called "a crime of hate," the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Saturday.

Witnesses said the gunman pushed his way into the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle late Friday afternoon, yelled "I am a Muslim American, angry at Israel" and began randomly firing a semiautomatic handgun.

David Gomez of the Seattle FBI office described the shootings as the work of "a lone individual with antagonism toward this organization."

Haq had his trial postponed Thursday on a charge of misdemeanor lewd conduct for allegedly exposing himself in Kennewick, Wash., his defense attorney in that case told the Seattle Times. The attorney refused to confirm earlier police statements that the suspect had mental health issues.

Three of the injured women were reported in critical condition after surgery Friday night and the other two were reported in satisfactory condition.