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And, yes, I DO take it personally: The latest bomb plot - like Florida, more of an aspiration than an operation
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Wednesday, August 16, 2006

The latest bomb plot - like Florida, more of an aspiration than an operation

ok, let's see... in the past two weeks we have seen the following events...

  • lieberman loses the connecticut primary sending a strong signal that the repubs and their sycophants are in deep doo-doo
  • the london bomb plot is "uncovered," unleashing a wave of fear-mongering from cheney, bush, tony snow, myriad pundits, and lieberman himself
  • just today, alberto gonzales hints at terrorist cells in our very own neighborhoods (see previous post)
now we have former uk ambassador to uzbekistan, craig murray, not a slouch in the intelligence analysis department, pointing out what had already been brought up as a suspicion
 several days ago...
None of the alleged terrorists had made a bomb. None had bought a plane ticket. Many did not even have passports, which given the efficiency of the UK Passport Agency would mean they couldn't be a plane bomber for quite some time.

In the absence of bombs and airline tickets, and in many cases passports, it could be pretty difficult to convince a jury beyond reasonable doubt that individuals intended to go through with suicide bombings, whatever rash stuff they may have bragged in internet chat rooms....

In all of this, the one thing of which I am certain is that the timing is deeply political. This is more propaganda than plot. Of the over one thousand British Muslims arrested under anti-terrorist legislation, only twelve per cent are ever charged with anything. That is simply harrassment of Muslims on an appalling scale. Of those charged, 80% are acquitted. Most of the very few - just over two per cent of arrests - who are convicted, are not convicted of anything to do terrorism, but of some minor offence the Police happened upon while trawling through the wreck of the lives they had shattered.

how much longer are we going to put up with this total, grade-a bullshit...?

(thanks to john at americablog...)

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posted by profmarcus at 8/16/2006

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