RUTHFULLY YOURS

Soofi studied at the $20,000-a-year International School of Islamabad from 1992 to 1998, where contemporaries said he was funny, popular and charming and showed no inclination towards extremism.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one told AFP Soofi was “quite suave and charismatic” and something of a “ladies’ man” as a student . . . Soofi’s mother taught art at the heavily-guarded school, which is popular with diplomats and rich Pakistanis, several of his contemporaries said.

He took part in theatre productions, and another schoolmate said Soofi starred as the lead in “Bye Bye Birdie”, a musical inspired by Elvis Presley, transforming him from a sweet, shy boy into “a confident heartthrob”.

“He was always good looking, throwing back his long silky hair, but after the play he did, wow — he was Mr Elvis of school,” she told AFP, again speaking on condition of anonymity.

As a reminder, here’s President Obama, on the root causes of terror. Though he does acknowledge the existence of the rich terrorist, he can’t help but emphasize the alleged role of poverty:

When millions of people — especially youth — are impoverished and have no hope for the future, when corruption inflicts daily humiliations on people, when there are no outlets by which people can express their concerns, resentments fester. The risk of instability and extremism grow. Where young people have no education, they are more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and radical ideas . . .

In reality, not only are terrorist networks led and staffed by well-educated and wealthy jihadists, like Osama bin Laden, western Islamic terrorists tend to be “middle class” and often “family men, with kids.” It’s not about poverty. It’s about jihad — an ancient and revered concept within the Islamic faith. Pretending otherwise is deceptive and dangerous.