THE BOYS' BRIGADE

Authorities are still trying to determine the "motive," as if it's any real mystery.

At WSJ, "Chattanooga Shooting Suspect’s Trip to Jordan Scrutinized by Authorities" (via Memeorandum and Protein Wisdom):

Counterterrorism investigators are looking closely at a monthslong trip the Chattanooga shooting suspect took to Jordan in 2014 to determine if he had contact with any extremists or traveled to other countries, according to people familiar with the investigation.

Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez, 24 years old, spent about seven months in Jordan last year, according to one person close to the investigation. The visit was one of a number of trips he took to that country during his life. He also held Jordanian citizenship, officials said.

Mr. Abdulazeez died Thursday in a gunfight with police, after allegedly firing a rifle at two military facilities in Chattanooga, Tenn. Four Marines were killed in the attacks.

Law-enforcement and intelligence agencies are now trying to determine if he made connections, or drew inspiration, on that trip to later commit an act of violence once he returned to the U.S., these people said.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been tracking hundreds of suspected supporters of the terror group Islamic State, but Mr. Abdulazeez wasn’t on their radar as a potential threat, according to people familiar with the probe.

FBI officials are also examining two blog posts apparently written on Monday to see if they were written by the suspect. Even if he did write them, according to people close to the investigation, there is nothing suggestive of violence in the posts, and they don’t offer a motive for attacking U.S. military sites.

“Brothers and sisters don’t be fooled by your desires, this life is short and bitter and the opportunity to submit to Allah may pass you by,’’ one post said.

The case is being handled as a terrorism probe, though officials cautioned they still hadn’t determined a motive for the shooting.

Investigators are now scouring the details of Mr. Abdulazeez’s life, trying to determine if he had help, or if he had associates who also might pose a threat.

Meanwhile, the four slain Marines have been identified.

Thomas Sullivan, a native of Springfield, Mass and reportedly 40 years old., was named by that city’s mayor, Domenic Sarno. Skip Wells, 21 and a native of Marietta, Ga., was identified by family spokesman Andrew Kingery.

David Wyatt, 35, of Hixson, Tenn., and Carson Holmquist were named by a U.S. official. Mr. Holmquist’s age and hometown aren't known yet...

More.