| FrontPageMag.com | By Robert Spencer | By Hugh Fitzgerald | Books | Dhimmi Watch | Islam 101 | Qur'an Blog | Raymond Ibrahim | Robert Spencer |  |
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In FrontPage this morning I discuss the ACLU/CAIR suit against the Bush wiretapping program, and some of its implications on both sides (news links in the original):
On January 5, 2005, a drug runner named Noel Exinia, who was engaged in transporting over five hundreds pounds of cocaine from Mexico to New York City, revealed in a telephone conversation that he was interested in other kinds of cargo as well. He spoke about twenty Iraqis, all between the ages of 25 and 33, who would pay $8,000 to get past the Mexico-U.S. border and into the United States. These Iraqis were, he said, in the Mexican cities of Monterrey, Chiapas and Puebla, and were ready to cross into Texas; ultimately, they hoped to get to the Northeast. According to Exinia, they were “la gente de Osama” — Osama’s people. What’s more, they were “dangerous…really bad people.” Even Exinia, with all his experience in the drug underworld as part of the Gulf Cartel, admitted he was afraid of them.No one would have known any of this, at least until these Iraqis committed a terrorist act on American soil, had it not been for the fact that Exinia’s call was recorded. The recording was permissible under the U.S. Patriot Act.
And that, says Exinia’s lawyer, John Blaylock, is why no one should ever have heard anything about Exinia’s phone call. “This is an example,” he maintains, “of a lot of hot air with a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing….Terrorism is the flavor of the week. If they could have, they would have charged him with terrorism to justify the Patriot Act that is coming up for renewal.” However, Exinia’s previous lawyer, William May, said that he thought the terrorism allegations against his former client were true.
Meanwhile, Henry Crumpton, the State Department’s new counter-terrorism chief, has said: “I rate the probability of terror groups using WMD [to attack Western targets] as very high. It is simply a question of time. And it is not just the nuclear threat that bothers me. I think, if anything, the biological threat is going to grow.”The FBI has declined all comment on the Exinia case; no one will even say whether “Osama’s people” made it into the United States or were headed off. But in any case, if any of them succeeded in carrying out a terrorist attack in the United States, particularly a nuclear or biological attack, would anyone be relieved that their rights had not been infringed by illegal wiretapping?
Apparently the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) would be, among others. With the five-week extension on the Patriot Act due to expire on February 3, they have filed suit against another, closely related and just as controversial element of President Bush’s anti-terror program: the recently-revealed program of domestic surveillance conducted without a warrant or other authorization. The names of the plaintiffs do not inspire confidence in the merits of the suit. The ACLU’s long-standing antagonism to America’s common defense is well documented; for its part, CAIR has had several of its officials arrested and convicted on various terrorism-related charges, and has never answered questions about where it really stands on jihad violence. The Fiqh Council of North America’s condemnation of terrorism that CAIR endorsed with much fanfare (and a great deal of mainstream media attention) was flawed, inadequate, and loaded with weasel words.
That such groups would come out against the Administration’s policies may be the strongest argument in their favor. However, thoughtful and patriotic Americans with a healthy understanding of the global jihad threat — notably Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation — have also expressed reservations about various aspects of the Patriot Act. Weyrich notes: “Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, after 9/11, said if we gave up our way of life in order to catch terrorists the terrorists would have won.” Suspension of some civil liberties in wartime is nothing new: Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus; during World War I, Woodrow Wilson had enacted numerous provisions that would make ACLU lawyers blanch today. But in this era of an ever-expanding and ever-encroaching federal government, Rumsfeld’s warning is not just empty rhetoric.
If Judge Samuel Alito is confirmed as expected and takes a seat on the Supreme Court so that the Court again has its full complement of justices, the High Court should consider questions regarding the Patriot Act and domestic wiretapping as quickly as possible. The proper balance must be found between Constitutional protections and national security, such that the plans of the men who made Noel Exinia afraid are discovered and foiled well before they have any chance to come to fruition, but not in a manner that compromises any legitimate Constitutional freedom. Otherwise, we would simply be opposing one tyranny with another. The struggle against global jihad, although few yet realize it, is a great struggle, perhaps the last great struggle, to defend and safeguard the principles of universal human rights and the equality of dignity of all people that have been one of the greatest gifts that Judeo-Christian civilization has given to the world. Upon those principles our defense must be founded, or all is lost.
Posted by Robert at January 18, 2006 7:27 AM
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"...perhaps the last great strugle..."
Certainly will be unless we triumph.
The last two sentences of the article belong up on a plaque in every infidel household. Well done Robert.
Posted by: Cornelius![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at January 18, 2006 8:41 AM
"struggle against global jihad"...a jihad against jihad, that is apt.
The problem is, the average American is absorbed with the more pressing issues of everyday life, such as, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's marital status, what dress to wear to the Oscars, and what Oprah thinks about the topic of the day. That is our jihad..., to wake them up and bring them to the party, if not we will have, at the least, suicide bombings on our streets and in our schools. That is our jihad, to win the "hearts and minds" of our neighbors.
Hopefully, Congress will grow some testicles and give us a CAIR package by passing (not just extending) the Patriot Act. Prompt passage will save lives! If we wait for the issue to wind its way through the court system, being driven by the injunction filed by the CAIR and the ACLU, I fear many Americans will die needlessly.
at January 18, 2006 11:16 AM
The current political delusionary class seems to be trying to add a clause to the Constitution (in effect):
"It IS a Suicide Pact."
Why this would please them, I can't fathom.
3,000 brothers and sisters were blown to shreds, burned alive, had their throats sliced on airliners and were crushed to death by the thousands as buildings exploded down on them.
They're still all dead.
What the rush is to legalistcally disembowel ourselves while our enemies are trying it literally seems schizoid, at best.
Will 300,000 slaughtered brothers and sisters satisfy the the Suicide Pacters?
Or are they instinctually for slavery?
(Erich Fromm's "Escape From Freedom" comes to mind.)
[And Benda's "The Treason of the Intellectuals".]
Posted by: profitsbeard at January 18, 2006 12:03 PM
Okay. Lets get this straight. the government tapps the phone of drug courier, who not only supplies drugs from Mexico to New York City, but is also paid to transport would be terrorists across the Texas border. Law enforcement stops this crime, and the ACLU and CAIR want to sue US?
Throw in former Vice President Algore and the hoot nanny can begin. This is crazy. The majority of CAIR aren't even U.S. citizens. And when is the government going to do something about the ACLU?
Listen you whacked out leftist, pinko communists, If not for the wire taps, the Washington Bridge would've been blown up. The Patriot Act facilitated the gathering of the information that prevented this potentially tragic event. If it had happened, you leftists at the ACLU and the democratic party would've been calling for the head of President Bush on a platter and/or his empeachment. CAIR would have sent a memo to the Palestinian authorities signaling a victory for Islam, causing dancing in the streets of Palestine by little children with AK 47s in hand. And Palestinian women lamenting the victory of Allah over his enemy, the Great Shaitan, America!!!
Congress needs to grow a pair and show CAIR and the ACLU that we will defend ourselves from the enemy within and abroad!!! By passing the Patriot Act!!! Islam is not the rule of law in America, the Constitution is the rule of law. We also have a Bill of Rights. One of them says that "We the People" have "the right to keep and to bear ARMS"!!! Hear that CAIR? Hear that ACLU? Algore? Don't even think to "tread on us" and our Constitution.
at January 18, 2006 12:09 PM
Whimper, whine: Listen you whacked out leftist, pinko communists, If not for the wire taps, the Washington Bridge would've been blown up.
And if not for incompetent fools focused on undoing everything Slick Willie did, the WTC wouldn't have been blown up. And if not for their greed and incompetence, 2200 murdered GIs would still be alive.
Remember who LED the impeachment procedings when a president lied about his girlfriend? Bob Barr. He FILED the paperwork to start the ball rolling...Representative Barr (not exactly a liberal) is ON RECORD as being against the Patriot Act. So don't get all "liberal, pinko" on me, boy.
And yes, the wiretapped phone conversations help us catch criminals... but why not go through the FISA court to get the warrants, especially considering that they can be backdated for three days? In 35 years, out of 15,000 requests, only three or four were denied.
The phrase "A nation of laws, not of men" means nothing to the Koolaid crew hateheads. Maybe when Hillary or Barack Obama take office, you'll sing a different tune about unlimited executive authority, loudmouth.
Posted by: fustercluck13 at January 18, 2006 12:42 PM
The Democrats in their zeal to oppose or get Bush, have not only put their party on the line but American lives.
If an attack occurs in the future where it can be proven that the wiretapping could have prevented it, how will they be able to justify it to America?
I was sick of the Clinton bashing then as much as I am with the Bush bashing now. I just want these damn politicians to keep their eye on the ball. All they really seem to care about is how they can gain power or keep it.
Posted by: infidella
at January 18, 2006 2:16 PM
Cornelius wrote:
"...perhaps the last great strugle..."
Certainly will be unless we triumph.
The last two sentences of the article belong up on a plaque in every infidel household. Well done Robert.
Well said, Cornelius. Good article, Robert.
Posted by: Open Eyes at January 18, 2006 5:44 PM
Some place there was an article about the manuals that Both Islamic Jihad, Al-Quedia and other Muslim terrorists were trained with..
One key note was to use the Host countries laws against them..
As soon as you are arrested claim you were beaten, tortured, denied your civil rights anything to slow down the process...
I dont CARE if they ACLU or CAIR doesnt like it..
I KNOW what Islam is and what their plans for our nation are..
And its not paradise but hell on earth..
So i tell our government and president bush..
Good Job and Keep it up...
at January 18, 2006 6:50 PM
"And if not for the incompetent fools focused on undoing everything Slick Wille did, the WTC wouldn't have blown up." Post by fusterchuck13
Slick Willie had the chance to take out Bin Laden with a missile, but chose not to because OBL was accompanied by a Saudi prince.
The Sudan offered to turn OBL over to the US before he left for Afganistan. Slick Willie chose to ignore this offer.
Posted by: GFB at January 18, 2006 9:05 PM
Thanks for the acknowledgement 'Open Eyes.'
Worth revisiting...(and cutting and pasting these immortal words from Mr Spencer in every forum where they might resonate):
"The struggle against global jihad, although few yet realize it, is a great struggle, perhaps the last great struggle, to defend and safeguard the principles of universal human rights and the equality of dignity of all people that have been one of the greatest gifts that Judeo-Christian civilization has given to the world. Upon those principles our defense must be founded, or all is lost."
Posted by: Cornelius at January 18, 2006 9:45 PM
Hey Fuster Cluck 13: Nuts to the FISA and their warrants!!! "We the People" don't need an outside body of NON Americans telling us how we can keep our country safe from the enemy within and abroad!!!
And I remember who led the impeachment proceedings against the then "rapist in chief". But this same "rapist in chief" was too busy chasing thongs in the oval orafice to take custody of the man responsible for the World Trade Center attack before it happened!!!. And big deal, Bob Barr is against the Patriot Act. What else is new?
And Hillary "Rodman" Clinton and Barak Osama will never take office!!! Wouldn't be healthy for America. Afraid Hill may take US back to the "plantation".
And I'm so sorry that I've misjugded you. You're not a Leftist, pinko, communist. You're a BIGOTTED, leftist, pinko, communist!!!
WHO YOU CALLIN' BOY???
Just like a liberal. I guess you think that you're so in tune to the "African American" mindset that you'd get away with your slur. WAY WRONG ANSWER!!! I'm Your worst nightmare!!! I'm an EDUCATED BLACKMAN. And I know the history of the leftist democratic party. I know about how a HEAVILY democratic Supreme Court declared during the 1800s that Negroes were only 1/3 human and nothing more than on the level of the plantation owners cow, thus only fit to be his property. To be sold as the "massa" saw fit!!! An animal, possessing no soul!!! The Dred Scott Case!!! It was the democrats in state and federal government that tried to keep "MY" ancestors enslaved, uneducated. Beat them and raped them. The majority of the Ku Klux Klan were, anyone, anyone? DEMOCRATS!!! In 1965 and 67, Algore Senior voted against the Civil Rights Act and the Voters Rights Act, A DEMOCRAT!!! It was Bull Connor,a democrat, that waterhosed unarmed black protesters. It was, then Governor George Wallace, A democrat, that stood at the front doors of the University of Alabama and declaired "over my dead body is the only way a n*****r will ever set foot into this institution!!!" There is no way that a truly knowledgable black person would ever be a democrat. I vote Republician, as my grandfather before me. The first blackman in Congress was from the Republican Party. Don't ever throw Obama or any other black traitor democrat in my face again, EVER!!!
I never questioned your manhood, Don't question mine!!! I didn't demean you. At least pay me the same respect. We can get along fine if you'd refrain from the hatespeak. But then, you libs always resort to name calling when faced with a situation that's idealogicly untenable.
Shame.
at January 20, 2006 1:24 PM
Hey Fuster Cluck 13, You'll love this. All freedom lovers, you'll hate this.
The United Nations want to take away "OUR!!" right to keep and to bear arms, The UN Gun Ban Treaty. A world wide ban on guns!!!
According to the National Rifle Association, this proposal is working it's way through the United Nations as we blog!!! The backers of this treaty hope that it will help "to monitor, regulate, or even OUTLAW PRIVATE GUN OWNERSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES!!!"
Now, I wonder who are the backers of this proposed treaty???
You'll find this on the NRA website, National Rifle Association www.nra.org. And also log on to the Conservative Voice web site as well. Rob Hood also qoutes from the NRA website.
Hey Fuster, you libs pitch a hissy fit about the NSA and its intell gathering program, calling it an invasion of privacy. But yet you are totally silent on defending our privacy from the UN on dangerous programs designed to strip our Constitution down to nothing and replace it with a socialists agenda, ruled by communist nations. "Nuts to That!!!" You and your socialist friends at the United Nations will take my Beretta m9mm, Sig Sauer 226, Colt 44 Anaconda, and Smith&Wesson 357 from off my lifeless American body!!!
"Let Freedom Ring!!!" Nuts to the UN!!"
"God Bless America!!!"
at January 20, 2006 4:13 PM
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