Evidence seized from Arkeuntrez Washington by federal law enforcement agents in 2019. (Photo via U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama.)
Addicted to violent revenge
The envelope from one of two letters that Arkeuntrez Washington sent to Zacarias Moussaoui, a convicted al Qaeda member serving life in a "supermax" federal prison for his connection to the 9/11 attacks. (Image via U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama.)
One thing leads to another
Arkeuntrez Washington holds a bazooka during his time in the U.S. Army. (Photo via Arkeuntrez Washington)
A book found by federal agents when they searched Arkeuntrez Washington's home in Alabama following his arrest in 2019. (Image via U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama)
From soldier to arms dealer
Arkeuntrez Washington wears a uniform shirt he brought home from federal prison, where he served two and a half years for illegal firearms sales. (Photo by Keegan Hamilton / VICE News)
A copy of a book found in the possession of Arkeuntrez Washington after he was arrested by federal agents in 2019. (Image via U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama)
When the ATF agents searched Washington’s room, they found notebooks and journal entries, including detailed instructions on how to create a small “pen bomb” using an ink pen, flash powder, and a fuse. Another set of instructions described how to create a “works bomb,” using Drano cleaner, aluminum foil, and a bottle. At the bottom of the instructions was the note “make foil pieces big for big impact.” The paper contained the names “Shayk Anwar al Awlaki,” a Yemeni-American imam killed by a U.S. drone strike in 2011, and “Shayk Abu Basir,” a Syrian cleric and thought leader in the jihadi movement. Also scrawled in Washington’s notebook was “Asrur al-Mujahideen,” or “Mujahideen Secrets,” an encrypted messaging system for Windows released by al Qaeda.‘He was pretty ripe to be picked’
A lot of mass destruction
Washington underwent a psychiatric exam and was deemed fit to proceed. He switched lawyers and eventually pleaded guilty, drawing a sentence of 36 months in federal prison. He denies reporting himself to the FBI, and says he knew exactly what he was doing. He admits to experimenting with homemade bomb-building using supplies from Home Depot, but he claims he drew the line at using the explosives to harm anyone.“I never wanted to use it against people like that,” Washington said. “I just wanted to know how to do it. You know, just like with firearms, if I really wanted to harm people, I could've went out there and caused a lot of mass destruction, but I'm not weak-minded. I'm strong-minded.”‘If I really wanted to harm people, I could've went out there and caused a lot of mass destruction.’
Arkeuntrez Washington straddles his motorcycle after going for a ride near his home in Huntsville, Alabama. (Photo by Keegan Hamilton / VICE News)
But there is nothing for deradicalization—partly because nobody really agrees what that means, let alone whether it could or should be administered to American prisoners.“Currently, there are no evidence-based ‘deradicalization’ programs throughout the world that are directly correlated to the needs of an offender in the United States,” the BOP spokesperson said. “For example, other countries have robust programs related specifically to religious aspects of extremism. However, the United States cannot adopt these same models due to religious freedoms and constitutional protections afforded in this country.”Spokespersons for the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s office in Northern Alabama, which handled Washington’s prosecution, declined to comment.Washington says he has received no help at all—no counseling, therapy, or mental health treatment—either while he was in prison or since his release last September.“They didn't offer me no programs, nothing,” he said. “I don't really feel rehabilitated. If I do feel rehabilitated, it’s because of what I did exercising… I rehabilitated myself, if anything.”‘I rehabilitated myself, if anything.’
Big Brother is monitoring
Brown supports the involvement of “formers” like Buckley, the military vet and ex-Klan member who now works to counter extremism. Buckley says his organization Parents For Peace has developed a “Trauma Recovery Program” that focuses on treating the deep-seated issues that cause extremism. The group has worked with over 300 families, sometimes staging rehab-style “interventions” in hopes of breaking through to people who’ve been sucked into rabbit holes.“Remove extremism and focus on trauma,” Buckley said. “That’s where you need to look. Get away from what, and look at why.”Buckley advocates for people on supervised release like Washington to be engaged with their probation officers, who he says “are pretty much social workers at this point.”‘Remove extremism and focus on trauma. That’s where you need to look.’
Washington found a job handling packages at FedEx, which he finds slightly amusing considering he once used the company to illegally ship guns. He says he’s made some friends through work and wants to enroll in community college classes. He talks about becoming a motivational speaker and launching his own podcast, or maybe something more humble like getting his commercial driver’s license and seeing the world as a truck driver.Some paths are off-limits now. Washington likes the idea of getting his pilot’s license, but when asked whether that would be allowed given his attempt to contact Moussaoui, he acknowledged it might raise eyebrows. He still insisted the letters were harmless. If he really wanted to cause trouble, he said, he would have asked Moussaoui for a bomb recipe.“I wouldn't even be talking to you right now,” Washington said. “I would be where he’s at.”Washington gets animated and says going back to building homemade bombs would be easy: “A month or so worth of planning. It happens. Boom.” Then he catches his breath and says not to worry, he’s just not that type of person.“People change, I changed for the better,” Washington said. “That's not me, man. I'm changing. I have changed.”Follow Keegan Hamilton on Twitter: @keegan_hamiltonSayre Quevedo contributed reporting.‘People change, I changed for the better.’