The media did everything they could to avoid mentioning it, but it’s confirmed today that the mass murderer who terrorized a mall in Salt Lake City was a Bosnian Muslim: 6 minutes of horror.

Police said Talovic had a juvenile record of only four minor offenses. None of his arrests were for violent crimes.

The man had lived at a house with his mother and three younger sisters near the Utah State Fairpark. Neither his mother nor his sisters would answer the door or respond to phone calls Tuesday, although a person inside would pick up the phone and then quickly hang up.

Ajka Omerovic, who said she was Talovic’s aunt, visited the home Tuesday afternoon. She told the Deseret Morning News that Talovic had been “a good boy.” She said the family are Muslims from Bosnia who had lived in the vicinity of Sarajevo.

UPDATE at 2/14/07 10:31:52 am:

At Wikipedia, the PC police are deliberately suppressing the display of the word “Muslim” in the article about Sulejman Talovic: Talk: Sulejman Talovic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (Hat tip: RedWhiteAndJew.)

While I support the change because of the need for proper documentation in this type of discourse, Sulejman is a name of Arabic origin, the name of a dozen or so Muslim notables. Local radio news in Salt Lake City (KNRS-AM) is reporting that Talovic was Muslim. I hope that once documentation is established on this fact, that the possibility that he is Muslim will be recognized as relevant.

—His religious background is completely irrelevant to the shooting. If he were a Christian, you would not hear anything about his religious affiliation. Having his possible affiliation as a Muslim stated in the article only makes it look as though Islam was a factor in his crime.

UPDATE at 2/17/07 9:38:17 am:

An answer to Guardian columnist Dan Glaister here: Guardian LA Correspondent Gets His Smear On.