Nice Work By the FBI

[Rick]

Folks that have overstayed a visitor visa.

[Gob]

Lots. So when this one was knows to have some terrorist intent, why not kick him out? Why the pantomime?

[Lord Jim]

when this one was knows to have some terrorist intent, why not kick him out?

Why would we want to do that? So he can hook up with some real terrorists, get better training and sneak back in? (or launch an attack at a US target in another country?)

Doesn't seem quite the ticket to me....

You want to find out, (under controlled conditions) whether or not the person is serious....

And if you determine he is, you want him locked up, not running around somewhere else to carry out an attack...

Precisely what it appears was done.

[Gob]

So while he was parading to Washington, wearing a fake suicide jacket, his mates would come out and shake his hand?

[Rick]

Why the pantomime?

I don't understand this part, how is it a pantomime?

[Scooter]

So while he was parading to Washington, wearing a fake suicide jacket, his mates would come out and shake his hand?

The complaint proffers no evidence that he had any mates other than FBI agents and informants.

[Rick]

So while he was parading to Washington, wearing a fake suicide jacket, his mates would come out and shake his hand?

Unequivocal intent.

Set up or not will be determined at trial.

Jim Bob is right why give him a second chance?

[Scooter]

Set up or not will be determined at trial.

Maybe.

In all probability, the identities of "Yusef" and "Hussien" will remain a secret. At trial, their faces will be hidden and their voices disguised. The accused will have no way of knowing if they are even people with whom he has spoken. And so it will be virtually impossible to impeach their testimony.

Do I sound sufficiently jaded? After the abuses of the last few years, can you blame me?

[Gob]

Jim Bob is right why give him a second chance?

Why give him a first? He was on an expired visa, kick him out.

[BoSoxGal]

I'm prosecuting two Hmong right now for alleged drug trafficking on the Amtrak who are immigration violators; not sure in what exact respect but it doesn't matter anyway - they will never be deported because compassionate grounds prevent it; they are 'refugees'.

I've never seen felony records like these two have; one is even a parole violator from another state. It does kind of chap my ass that serious recidivist felons can't be deported.

[Gob]

Sounds like the UK.

[Rick]

Jim Bob is right why give him a second chance?

Why give him a first? He was on an expired visa, kick him out.

Because this way it'll make a better movie?

[Lord Jim]

Why give him a first? He was on an expired visa, kick him out.

Strop, it sounds to me like you believe that if we simply tossed this guy out of the country he would cease to be a problem. I completely disagree.

Leaving him at liberty to hook up with real terrorists, who would provide him with training and real explosives, makes him a bigger problem. A much bigger problem.

This seems obvious to me. I'm not following your reasoning.

[Grim Reaper]

I'm confused as to why the fake-vest was even necessary. Seems like just an extra bit of drama to show how dangerous he could have been. Just arrest him when he came to pick up the thing.

[Rick]

I guess it's similar to offering the money and actually passing the money...

[Jarlaxle]

I'm prosecuting two Hmong right now for alleged drug trafficking on the Amtrak who are immigration violators; not sure in what exact respect but it doesn't matter anyway - they will never be deported because compassionate grounds prevent it; they are 'refugees'.

I've never seen felony records like these two have; one is even a parole violator from another state. It does kind of chap my ass that serious recidivist felons can't be deported.

They should be deported...if their native country refuses to take them, they should be given a choice: LWOP in prison or left in a rowboat in international waters.

[Lord Jim]

I guess they figured that having him go as far as he did would help in terms of proving the seriousness of his intent...

Strop, suppose this scenario had unfolded:

Suppose this guy had come to the attention of the FBI; a guy who was expressing a desire to blow up Americans in a suicide bombing....

And rather than do what they did, and test to see whether he was serious and then once he proved that he was, arresting him....

They had followed your suggestion, and said, "Okay his visa's expired. Let's just put him on a one way flight to Morocco"....

And then a year later, in Paris, the guy walks into the crowded lobby of a hotel or restaurant known to be popular with Americans, where he either opens up with a machine gun or blows himself up, killing 40-50 people...

Can you imagine the hue and cry that would arise (quite justifiably in my view; I'd be joining it) if it came to light that this guy had been in the US, and that US authorities were aware that he had expressed an intent to do something like this, and all they did was deport him?

There'd be so many heads rolling at the J.Edgar Hoover Building, the place would look like a macabre bowling alley....

People would be outraged; there'd be Congressional investigations up the wazoo....

[Rick]

In the not too distant past we sat by and watched.

Now we have monuments...

[Joe Guy]

What the FBI should have done is make it so when the guy tries to detonate the bombs, he's injected with something that knocks him out.

Then arrange it so that he would wake up later in a room full of 40 butt ugly virgins.

[Gob]

I'm confused as to why the fake-vest was even necessary. Seems like just an extra bit of drama to show how dangerous he could have been. Just arrest him when he came to pick up the thing.

This is what I have been saying. It seems that the FBI wanted to turn a reasonable arrest into some melodramatic pantomime.

Jim, a simple way of stopping this guy, who may or may not be dangerous, obviously less dangerous without the FBI helping him, would be to chuck him in jail at there earliest opportunity, then deport him, and do not let him back in. This arrest stinks of the FBI "playing to the crowds."