--- description: The Qatari government says Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez merely transited through Doha’s international airport and “at no time” entered Qatar. title: Tennessee Shooter 'Did Not Visit Qatar' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4a57b8aba5219f37/69885c23cd68485b1f0a0ef8/abdulazeez-tennessee-shooter.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Qatar](/tag/qatar/) ## Qatar Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Qatari Government Says the Tennessee Shooter Did Not Visit Qatar by [Helen Regan](/author/helen-regan/) ## Helen Regan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 23, 2015 7:41 AM CUT  Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez poses for a mugshot photo after he was was arrested on April 20, 2015 on a DUI offense. Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez poses for a mugshot photo after he was was arrested on April 20, 2015 on a DUI offense.Hamilton County Sheriff's Office/Getty Images by [Helen Regan](/author/helen-regan/) ## Helen Regan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 23, 2015 7:41 AM CUT The Qatari government says the man identified by the FBI as having carried out the [Chattanooga shooting](http://time.com/3962344/chattanooga-muhammad-youssef-abdulazeez/ "undefined") merely transited through Doha’s international airport and “at no time” entered Qatar. Reports on Monday said U.S. [counterterrorism](http://time.com/3965377/mohammad-youssef-abdulazeez-qatar-investigation-tennessee-shooting/ "undefined") officials were piecing together a trip Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez made to the Middle East in 2014\. A source told [Reuters](http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/20/us-usa-tennessee-shooting-idUSKCN0PU1SY20150720 "undefined") he had also traveled to Qatar at least once, although the reasons for the stopover and its duration were unknown. But a [statement](http://www.qna.org.qa/en-us/News/15072120420043/Statement-by-Qatars-Government-Communications-Office-Regarding-Media-Reports--linking-the-suspect-of-the-recent-tragedy-in-Tennessee-to-the-State-of-Qatar "undefined") released by the Qatari government’s communications team Tuesday claimed such reports were false. “The individual known as Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez transited through Doha’s Hamad International Airport from Amman, Jordan to the United States in November 2014\. At no time did Mr. Abdulazeez enter the State of Qatar.” The statement continued: “The State of Qatar condemns these criminal acts such as those in Tennessee, which terrorize and kill innocent people. These acts are contrary to all humanitarian values, ethics, principles and religions and emphasize the need for unity and solidarity in order to renounce violence and reject terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, whatever its motives and causes.” Abdulazeez, 24, killed four Marines and wounded three others in attacks on military centers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on July 16\. He was shot dead by police the same morning. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3969100/qatar-government-doha-airpot-mohammad-youssef-abdulazeez/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3969100/qatar-government-doha-airpot-mohammad-youssef-abdulazeez/"},"headline":"The Qatari Government Says the Tennessee Shooter Did Not Visit Qatar","datePublished":"2015-07-23T07:41:18.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T09:30:23.760Z","description":"A statement says he merely transited through Doha airport","url":"https://time.com/3969100/qatar-government-doha-airpot-mohammad-youssef-abdulazeez/","keywords":["Qatar","Tennessee","Jordan","transit"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4a57b8aba5219f37/69885c23cd68485b1f0a0ef8/abdulazeez-tennessee-shooter.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Helen Regan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/helen-regan/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4a57b8aba5219f37/69885c23cd68485b1f0a0ef8/abdulazeez-tennessee-shooter.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Four Marines and One Sailor Killed In Military Center Shootings In Chattanooga, Tennessee","caption":"Four Marines and One Sailor Killed In Military Center Shootings In Chattanooga, Tennessee","creditText":"Hamilton County Sheriff's Office/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/qatar/","name":"Qatar"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3969100/qatar-government-doha-airpot-mohammad-youssef-abdulazeez/","name":"The Qatari Government Says the Tennessee Shooter Did Not Visit Qatar"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Know Right Now: Tennessee Shooter Identified","description":"The gunman who opened fire at two military facilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee has been identified as Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/iZyiJ8ZA/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-07-16T21:45:09.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/iZyiJ8ZA.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3969100/qatar-government-doha-airpot-mohammad-youssef-abdulazeez/","duration":"PT1M","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3969100/qatar-government-doha-airpot-mohammad-youssef-abdulazeez/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```