Juan Cole's interesting take: Father was working for the Russians, sons turned to Islam out of shame

[lanlady]

[link:http://www.juancole.com|

In brief: the aunt in Toronto said that the father "worked in the enforcement agencies" possibly implying that he was working for the Russians against his own people -- in other words, he's a turncoat. The sons may have been ashamed and not only did not return to Russia with the parents but also tried to overcompensate by rejecting the family secularism and turning to Islam.

I guess we'll find out sooner or later what the motivation was, but I thought this was an interesting perspective.

http://www.juancole.com

[LisaL]

1. I don't find anything interesing in this perspective.

I don't believe there is any truth to this.

[lanlady]

3. I think it's plausible

no one yet knows the truth (outside the family, of course) but it's a reasonable hypothesis.

[dkf]

2. That seems like a stretch to me

[charlyvi]

4. NBC was talking to a friend of the family

who said the family came to America because the father was beaten badly buy the KGB. Who knows!

[lanlady]

5. I would take that with a grain of salt

If he was on Putin's shit list, and in physical danger, why did he return to Russia?

[charlyvi]

6. True.

As I said....who knows!