Hey, you, are you engaging in any terroristic-related program activities?
Attorney General John Ashcroft, June 3, 2003:
Today?s convictions sends a clear message: The Department of Justice will work diligently to detect, disrupt and dismantle the activities of terrorist cells in the United States and abroad. We will commit every resource to preventing terrorist attacks, and sending those who aid our enemies to jail. Today’s verdict reaffirms our commitment to pursuing aggressively the evidence wherever it may lead.
I congratulate the prosecutors and agents who worked tirelessly on this case. […]
Every victory in the courtroom brings us closer to our ultimate goal of victory in the war on terrorism. The Department of Justice will continue its aggressive battle in the courts to ensure the safety and security of all Americans.
In related news, today:
The Justice Department asked a judge Tuesday to throw out the convictions of a suspected terror cell in Detroit because of prosecutorial misconduct […]
In a late-night filing, the department told U.S. District Judge Gerald Rosen that it supports the Detroit defendants’ request for a new trial and would no longer pursue terrorism charges against them. That means the defendants at most would only face fraud charges at a new trial. […]
The Justice Department is “concurring in the defendants’ motions for a new trial” and asks the court to dismiss the first count of the original indictment charging the defendants with material support of terrorism, according to a summary of the government’s filing that was obtained by The Associated Press through the court’s electronic access system. [Emphasis added.]
So, are we supposed to be feeling more or less safe now?
Moral of story: guys with Middle Eastern names take vacation videos at their peril, since that was some of the “evidence” introduced at the trial. The guys who drew the maps of the Citibank boardrooms are on the loose, but guys who take videotapes of s**t in plain view are getting nailed. Yeah, I feel a whole lot safer.
“So, are we supposed to be feeling more or less safe now?”
More of us are supposed to be feeling less safe.
Typical liberal pessimism. Shame on you. Of course there are going to be a couple of wrong convictions and false arrests – but it’s for the greater good. Besides, God told Bush it was ok.
“Dropping these convictions because of prosecutorial misconduct (and dropping charges against Hamdi and helping to screw up the German terror trial) send a clear message: we have absolutely no fucking idea what’s going on. Please replace us at your earliest convenience.”
This just supports the administration’s long-time claim that trials are not the way to conduct the war on terror. As you recall, they belittled Clinton’s efforts because he merely imprisoned lots of terrorists. Everybody knows that’s ineffective. Had we simply shot these guys once we “knew” they were terrorists, we wouldn’t have to let their corpses go free now.
“… they belittled Clinton’s efforts because he merely imprisoned lots of terrorists.” And, damn, the terrorists he imprisoned are now all…still imprisoned. Shows what you can do if you have a clue. Can we now have a public apology from all the Republicans who made nasty comments about Janet Reno, our last competent Attorney General?