Bombing suspect disliked America and gays, former girlfriend says

The suspect arrested Monday in connection with bombings in New York and New Jersey has been described by a former girlfriend as deadbeat dad who disliked America and gay people, FoxNews.com has reported.

Following the arrest Monday of Ahmad Khan Rahami, who was taken into custody following a shootout in Linden, the terror suspect's former girlfriend told Fox News that the man didn’t pay child support and "seemed standoffish to American culture."

The woman, who FoxNews.com identified as "Maria," attended Edison High School with Rahami. The two had a daughter together and she said she feared he would try to take their child.

"He would speak often of Western culture and how it was different back home. How there weren't homosexuals in Afghanistan," she told FoxNews.com.

Following Rahami's arrest, one of his childhood friends, 27-year-old Flee Jones of Elizabeth, told New Jersey 101.5 that as a child, he and Ahmad Kham Rahami played sports at a local park, and his friends would visit the First American Fried Chicken location Rahami’s family owned for food and drinks.

“It’s shocking to me, definitely shocking to me,” Jones said. “He used to let us chill inside the chicken shack and have rap battles, and he always gave us free food with no problem.”

Rahami was charged Monday afternoon by the Union County prosecutor's Officer with five counts of attempted murder on a police officer in connection with the shootout that injured two police officers. Rahami was also shot during the exchange of gunfire and underwent surgery. he is expected to recover.

He remains in police custody and is being held on $5.2 million bail. Rahami is also wanted for questioning by the FBI in connection with explosions that took place over the weekend — one in New Jersey prior to a Marin 5K race, and another in the Chelsea section of New York that injured 29 people. The FBI identified Rahami as a suspect in the Chelsea shooting Monday morning. New Jersey State Police have also said they believe the Seaside Park incident may have been connected.

—Dan Alexander and Dino Flammia contributed to this report.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.