There is a lot of truth to that. The problem is that wanting to "help with violent attacks" and "simply researching his faith" are actually not, in this case, mutually exclusive options. "Judge: Enough evidence for jury in terrorism case," by Megan Matteucci for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 11 (thanks to James):
A jury will decide Tuesday whether to believe a Roswell man wanted to help with violent attacks or was simply researching his faith when he communicated with overseas terrorists.A federal judge ruled Monday that there is enough evidence for the case against Ehsanul Islam Sadequee to proceed to a jury....
Sadequee, who is representing himself, will present his own closing argument Tuesday morning in his trial in U.S. District Court in Atlanta on charges he conspired to aid terrorists wage violent jihad.
Duffey denied Sadequee’s motion for acquittal on Monday afternoon after listening to a week of testimony....
On Monday, jurors listened to the defendant’s older sister, Sharanika Sonali Sadequee, describe her brother as a quiet, inquisitive man who traveled to Bangladesh to marry his long-time love.
Federal prosecutors argue the wedding was a cover for Sadequee’s Bangladesh trip, where he planned to enroll in a terrorist camp.
“He’s being criminalized for dialoguing and exploring with other men,” the sister said after testifying. “It’s a complete violation of our constitutional First Amendment right. Lots of young folks are going to be exploring these issues.”
Prosecutors argue her brother did more than explore - he provided videos of Washington landmarks to a convicted terrorist and talked of attacking U.S. oil refineries, along with Dobbins Air Force Base.
Prosecutors say Sadequee supplied information to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, a terrorist organization focused on the fight over Kashmir between Pakistan and India.
On Monday, Sadequee told a jury that Lashkar-e-Tayyiba wasn’t labeled a terrorist group by the U.S. until months after he started talking with them.
Oh, well, then it's all right!
Sharanika Sadequee, who lives in Dallas, Ga., said her brother played paint ball, but was never violent.The defendant, who describes himself as a devout Muslim, wore a religious skullcap Monday. His mother, covered in a sari and head scarf, silently whispered prayers throughout the proceedings....
The sister complained that Sadequee has been prohibited from talking about certain things in the trial, including details of his arrest in Bangladesh - which she calls a kidnapping - and being attacked by another inmate in prison.
Yes -- how can an accused jihadist get a fair shake if he can't claim victim status?
Copy of comments originally made to this article, during the Intensedebate era.
IBNSANA said - 'Accused Atlanta jihadist was just "researching his faith"'
Would this be a crime to any of you, if it were true?
-ZONIEKAFIR answered - Don't know. Does the practice of mohameatanism involve criminal activity? Tell us please what you think.
nabi ZK (pbum)
-LIVEBYLOVE answered IBNSANA - There was more evidence of him doing "no good" than just "researching his faith".
Faith in what I ask?
Researching on how to harm others and destroying human life is a poor way of researching someone's faith.
Is his faith of the devil which it sounds like? It is certainly not of God?
And if this is his kind of "faith" he got from the courts what he deserves.
If he was really researching the real "Almighty, All Powerful, True God" he wouldn't have gotten himself in this mess in the first place. The God I know would totally frown upon what this guy was up to.
-GRAVENIMAGE replied to IBNSANA - (quoting) 'Accused Atlanta jihadist was just "researching his faith"
Would this be a crime to any of you, if it were true?'
.................
If "researching his faith", for Sadequee, involved attending a terrorist training camp and targeting Washington landmarks, U.S. oil refineries, and an American Air Force Base, then YES.
-VIRGIL replied to IBNSANA - In this case yes, because we all know what "researching his faith" means when that faith is Islam. Let's not kid ourselves here, this wasn't some harmless academic undertaking, rather he was "researching" jihad, its judicial rulings, and how and where to implement those rulings.
-WINOCEROS replied to IBNSANA - If you mean coming to JW to learn about Islam, then, no, of course not.
No, really, please don't ever go to law school with your weak and transparent open.
EPISTEMOLOGY said - Boohoo, that poor guy is completely misunderstood.
"Prosecutors argue her brother did more than explore - he provided videos of Washington landmarks to a convicted terrorist and talked of attacking U.S. oil refineries, along with Dobbins Air Force Base."
That doesn't mean that he's really a terrorist. We're so suspicious, we always think of the worst case scenario. And that bloke is such a quiet and inquisitive man according to his sister.
Dear Muslims, do you never go to a barber? That poor guy is paid for doing your hair but also for listening to all that crap some customers need to tell him.
-GRAVENIMAGE replied to EPISTEMOLOGY - 'Dear Muslims, do you never go to a barber?'
....................
Not the "truly devout" ones, Epistomology. In fact, barbers have been murdered in parts of the Muslim world for trimming beards.
DSINC said - What's to research? Convert, tax or kill infidels.
CIVILUS DEFENDUS said - Hit them now, hit them hard. Prison time. Let them out in 15 to 20 years when we have a better handle on things. They can reform, emigrate or go back to the cell, or the chair.
We need to use these opportunities to EXPOSE the content of this so called religion. I thought the court was the one place where the truth was welcome.
-WINOCEROS said - Yes, it's the perfect opening. The defense raises "researching his faith" as a defense to his actions. It opens a perfect gate, if we had a prosecutor who knew anything he didn't learn at a university, to share on the record all that the faith entails.
-CIVILUS DEFENDUS said - Amicus Brief?! A friend of the court in this case would be a friend of America.
I can't find the prosecutor, but I have Judge Duffy's contact info, will send him a note. If 40 judges from around the nation got together to discuss their jihad cases, a pattern would emerge. I'd like to attend that gathering...
MAXPUBLIUS said - By "researching" terrorism, he's just taking his "faith" to its logical conclusion.
A "moderate" Muslim may think he's tolerant, but like the Nazi diplomat who saved 100,000 Chinese from slaughter by the Japanese in Nanking, he's ultimately committed to a hateful ideology and its more zealous adherents. Those he helps today will be his victims tomorrow.
CHARLESTON said - deport them all
Feh.
MUHAMMADBEAR said - Commenting on "Accused Atlanta jihadist was just "researching his faith"
(quoting) "It’s a complete violation of our constitutional First Amendment right. Lots of young folks are going to be exploring these issues.”
Am I supposed to feel good about this? I think the fact that lots of young people are exploring these issues is the problem. In what other religion do people explore their faith by liaising with violent Jihadists? Since when did waging war against the infidel become protected under the US Constitution?
TANSTAAFL said (quoting) - "wanted to help with violent attacks or was simply researching his faith when he communicated with overseas terrorists."
Sort of one and the same, doncha think?
End of my copy of original comments for this article.