Apologists sometimes posit that “defensive” jihad is somehow less nasty than its offensive counterpart. It’s not. All a would-be jihadist needs is a grievance to “defend” against — no caliph? No problem! Only the excuse du jour changes; the jihad and its driving ideology remain, as this case demonstrates. “State parole board votes to release 1973 cop killer,” by John Doyle for the New York Post, June 4:
A state parole board has voted to release a cop-killing kidnapper involved in a 47-hour hostage standoff in Brooklyn in 1973, officials said today.
Shuaib Raheem was initially granted parole three years ago in a decision that was later rescinded after it sparked a raft of outrage from the cop’s widow and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
Raheem, 60, was informed today that he will be paroled. He is slated to be released on July 8 from the Eastern Correctional Facility in Napanoch, a prison located in upstate Ulster County.
The parole board in Albany voted 2-1 to release Raheem.
The board had previously denied his request six times.
“Tragically, in the case of this murdering animal, the worst possible decision was made.” said PBA President Pat Lynch.
Raheem was 23 when he and three other young men barged into John & Al’s Sporting Goods on Broadway in Williamsburg to steal rifles and ammo from the shelves for what he called a war on injustices against Muslims.
After Officer Stephen Gilroy was shot in the head, his body stayed inside along with the wounded cops for two days before the men gave themselves up.
Lynch said cop killers should spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
“We firmly believe that this demands the incarceration for life for all cop killers regardless of when they were convicted,” he said.