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Judge to failed Dallas jihadist: “I can’t for the life of me figure out what moved you in this direction”

Oct 20, 2010 6:17 am By Marisol Seibold

Last fall, Hossam Smadi drove away from a gleaming skyscraper in the heart of Dallas believing he was going to kill thousands of people in it. The bomb was inert, and authorities caught him red-handed. He had been under surveillance for months for an expressed desire to “commit violent jihad.”

Indeed, this is what he said:

“I truly say it that my dream is to be among God’s soldiers, first for the support of Islam and my beloved Sheik Usama, may God give him long life. I don’t know what is in me, but I love him as I love my father. I don’t want to add to this.

Now, my brother, the point is that thousands of Muslims have been killed at the hand of Jews — the dogs — and the silent disloyal backsliders. Those are the Arab kings and, God willing, their end will be the hanging rope and hell. […]

In the name of God [“bismillah…” – ed], the Gracious and Merciful, this is my vow to you, my brother, that I am ready. And if you were a lover of Jihad as I am, then, by God, I am ready for the Jihadi life. What you will see of me will please you and your commander.

The reign is only for the living and powerful God. I ask Him that he would be our Caliph and Ruler.”

“My brother in God, God and His angels are with us. With the permission of the Almighty Lord of the Worlds, we will have victory and allies from God Almighty. He is the powerful and helpful. Victory is coming, is coming to defeat the Romans [i.e., Christians] and for the destruction of the Jews. God is Most Great. We shall attack them in their very homes. Brother, by God, we shall attack them in a manner that hurts, an attack that shakes the world. Oh Brother, let the backsliders know that the time for their destruction has come.”

But the judge, not unlike our potty-mouthed friend at the New York Times, can’t put two and two together. “Would-be Dallas skyscraper bomber gets 24 years,” by Craig Civale for WFAA, October 19:

DALLAS — Hosam Smadi said he was “ashamed” and “sorry” for trying to blow up a Dallas skyscraper.

Those words may have helped him get a reduced sentence — 24 years in prison for the crime.

The judge cut him a break, according to a plea agreement reached by both sides. Smadi could have been sentenced to a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Imagine downtown Dallas, had this plan gone through. And he got a break.

There was no response and no reaction from the 20-year-old Jordanian as he learned his fate on Tuesday.

The courtroom drama ended the more than year-long investigation into a plot to blow up the Fountain Place office tower in downtown Dallas.

“He pled guilty; he’s remorseful for his conduct; he knows he did something wrong. That he’ll have to live with,” said defense attorney Peter Fleury.

The remorse was seen in Smadi’s own brief statement to the judge in which he renounced terrorism.

“I am ashamed for what I did; I am sorry for my actions,” Smadi said, adding: “Osama bin Laden is a bad man. I hate terrorism and will have nothing to do with this again.”

But prosecutors argued that Smadi’s after-the-fact apologies were a stark contrast to the countless number of e-mail messages and other communications made to undercover FBI agents, including a video investigators say Smadi made for bin Laden prior to the bomb being placed that celebrated the massacre of thousands of innocent people.

“We caught a person who was going to commit the criminal act of murder to advance an ideology,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Casey. “He was given several chances to withdraw from this plan, and he chose not to.”

Both sides argued about Smadi’s mental health. The defendant’s lawyers said he was addicted to drugs and delusional.

While Judge Barbara Lynn sympathized with Smadi’s tough upbringing, she summed up her feelings this way: “I can’t for the life of me figure out what moved you in this direction.”

Once Smadi serves his time, he will be deported back to Jordan. Prosecutors said he was not in the United States legally.

Smadi can get up to 56 days a year credited as time served for good behavior. He also gets to count the year he has already served.

That means Hosam Smadi could potentially be freed in 19 years.

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