Another broken promise: Trump had said he would end this Obama practice, and now Eric Holder and others whose support Trump should never have had or wanted are thumping their chests and claiming victory. This is a continuation of the false premise that every jihad plot is a separate criminal incident, unrelated to any and all others. It is part of the denial that there is a global jihad, or any overarching belief system, ideology, or goal that ties these separate incidents to one another.
“Terror Suspect Brought to U.S. for Trial, Breaking From Trump Rhetoric,” by Rebecca R. Ruiz, Adam Goldman, and Matt Apuzzo, New York Times, July 21, 2017:
PHILADELPHIA — The Trump administration has brought a man suspected of belonging to Al Qaeda to the United States to face trial in federal court, backing off its hard-line position that terrorism suspects should be sent to the naval prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, rather than to civilian courtrooms.
The suspect, Ali Charaf Damache, a dual Algerian and Irish citizen, was transferred from Spain and appeared on Friday in federal court in Philadelphia, making him the first foreigner brought to the United States to face terrorism charges under President Trump. The authorities believe that Mr. Damache was a Qaeda recruiter. He was charged with helping plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist who depicted the Prophet Muhammad in cartoons.
With Mr. Damache’s transfer, Attorney General Jeff Sessions adopted a strategy that he vehemently opposed when it was carried out under President Barack Obama. Mr. Sessions said for years that terrorism suspects should be held and prosecuted at Guantánamo Bay. He has said that terrorists did not deserve the same legal rights as common criminals and that such trials were too dangerous to hold on American soil.
But the once-outspoken Mr. Sessions was uncharacteristically quiet on Friday. He gave a speech one block away from the Philadelphia courthouse where Mr. Damache appeared and did not address the case. The Justice Department issued only a brief news release, and a spokesman, Ian Prior, said in a statement that Mr. Damache was indicted in 2011 in federal court but did not acknowledge the attorney general’s yearslong criticism or answer questions about whether those opinions have changed.
Mr. Damache, 52, was arrested in Ireland in 2010, but he was released after an Irish judge rejected a request from the United States to extradite him. He was arrested again in 2015 in Spain. Under Mr. Obama, the Justice Department began seeking his extradition, and that effort continued under Mr. Trump.
Had the Trump administration insisted on bringing Mr. Damache to Guantánamo Bay, it would have met strong opposition in Europe. America’s closest allies refuse to participate in any effort to bring new prisoners to Guantánamo. They have come to regard the prison there as a legal morass and a symbol of American abuse and mistreatment.
For years, Republicans portrayed civilian trials as a weakness in Mr. Obama’s national security policy. His plan to prosecute Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the admitted mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, in Manhattan fizzled in 2010 amid controversy. Since then, however, federal prosecutors have consistently won convictions and lengthy prison sentences for foreign terrorists and helped glean crucial intelligence.
“It’s good to see that the president and the attorney general now seem to share my belief in the effectiveness of the world’s greatest judicial system and its ability to keep the American people safe,” said former Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., the leading voice in the Obama administration for using civilian courts. “Their previous positions were political and counterproductive.”
Mr. Damache was wanted in connection with a failed attempt to kill a Swedish cartoonist who had depicted the Prophet Muhammad with a dog’s body. His identity surfaced in the high-profile case of Colleen LaRose, who became known as “Jihad Jane.” Ms. LaRose, of Pennsburg, Pa., pleaded guilty in 2011 to providing support to a terrorist group, conspiring to murder a foreigner and lying to the F.B.I. She was sentenced in 2014 to 10 years in prison.
Mr. Damache was charged with conspiracy to support terrorists and attempted identity theft to facilitate an act of international terrorism. Wearing a black button-down shirt and jeans, he appeared before a federal judge and waived his right for a swift arraignment. He said he had no cash or assets, owned no property or vehicle and had no bank account. He told a judge he wanted to speak with the Irish Embassy….
mohamonator says
It is a long overdue, and wonderful thing, that this rabid mohamedan dog will finally be facing trial SOMEWHERE. The fact that he remained at large in Europe–FOR YEARS–is chilling. You’d think that Sweden might want him since he conspired to assassinate one of their citizens, but apparently they are now so dhimmified that they are eager to farm out the nasty business of putting him on trial to someone else, and as far away as possible at that.
Budvarakbar says
They only want Assange
Beagle says
Guantanamo is a useful facility to hold jihadists, usually illegal combatants, caught on a battlefield. But murder plots against civilians and material support for terrorism are the types of crimes which require criminal charges. We tend to overuse the term “terrorist” to describe significantly different types of conduct.
Whether prisoners of war, whether illegal combatants, and whether chargeable under criminal statutes are all legally important questions It’s all jihad, of course. Understanding Islamic jihad is the only way to make sense of the multifaceted behaviors. But our legal system is willfully ignorant of all things Islam.
Raja says
Beagle, You are right about willful ignorance about Islam in the law/justice system. You have just had a president who has recognized Islamic terrorism as a threat to world peace and order. They are hell bent on destroying every nation that is not Islamic.
The foundation of hyper active Islamic terrorism can be traced back to the oil boom of early 1970 when Wahabism, Salafism and other blah blah Islamic products.Until then few Western leaders like Churchill and Quincy Adams had any idea of Islam.
Now to counter the terrorist Ideology, the (vast) knowledge the we have today will take a longer time and of course the Left who are brainless will oppose it at all costs.
Wellington says
Being an Algerian and Irish citizen has wrong (and stupidity) written all over it.
RCCA says
As I understand this article the options were to either let the criminal remain free in Europe or agree to try him in a US court. An article from May 21st 2015, states that the US request for extradition was denied and “Mr Damanche was discharged and walked out of the High Court this afternoon.” http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-citizen-deported-united-states-deported-algerian-2116734-May2015/ Another article from Dec 11th 2015 confirms that. http://www.thejournal.ie/terror-arrest-spain-irish-2497781-Dec2015/
Guest says
Doth mine eyes deceive me? A terrorist is being put on trial for murder?
Oliver says
In my view– your first line is misleading. Another broken promise: Trump had said he would end this Obama practice, and now Eric Holder and others whose support Trump should never have had or wanted are thumping their chests and claiming victory.
In the post it states clearly:He was arrested again in 2015 in Spain. Under Mr. Obama, the Justice Department began seeking his extradition, and that effort continued under Mr. Trump.
As RCCA -above-states, the options were to try him in court or let him stay in Europe.
The article further states that the US would have faced strong opposition if it wanted to bring him to Gitmo.
The proceedings started under Obama. Would you have preferred that the US stop, end the proceedings and start again- KNOWING THE OPPOSITION TO GITMO, AND LET ANOTHER FEW YEARS GO BY?
Sometimes, if one is dealt lemons, must make lemonade. The other choice is to throw everything away.
Pres. Trump and AG Sessions made the only decision that they could have.
Oliver says
And, from the article, I also did not see where he BROKE AN US LAWS- FROM THE ARTICLE, ALL OF HIS ACTIONS WERE IN EUROPE. (I cannot see how the US can prosecute him for collecting OVERSEAS, IF FROM OVERSEAS PEOPLE-MONEY FOR A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION-as long as he did not solicit in the US or US citizens). (I am not a lawyer- Wellington, please respond).
And, to quote the New York Times-a newspaper that has last supported a Rep. pres. candidate somewhere close to 100 years ago, one would expect them to be negative about him.
Again, would the Repubs and sabre rattlers preferred that he remain free in Europe, because he cannot be extradited to Gitmo?
Raja says
America is the only nation that puts its “hands” in every burrow to catch a rat or a snake and no other country has the political will to do this dirty job.
But, as Robert Spencer puts it,the Republicans should be consistent about the policy of trying the terrorists in Guantanamo.
Hope the president has a re-look at this. The Obama mole Rex Tillerson might have other dirty tricks up his sleeve.
Joeyn says
Although President Trump is much better than the conniving Obama, he is not a smart President especially in dealing with Islam. I think Ben Shapiro is spot on regarding President Trump.
paul says
Irish judge let him go…. Justin would have given him 10 million as well as let him go
moeped says
I wonder when they will start discovering murder plots against the jihadis. Based on all the chaos in the world, I would think it’s a matter of time.
Frank J. Verderber says
After some 16 years, I do not understand the Gitmo thing. It really doesn’t matter if the person is a terrorist or a mad dog murderer or a religious zealot. If he or she conspired to undercut or overthrow US foreign policy, its military, or its government, why all the secrecy, why all the planning, why the fortress? Gitmo is bad publicity. A fair trial in federal court is good publicity. They claim the problem is US citizens are fearful of reprisal. Who did that poll – the Southern Law Poverty Center? There has been and continues to be a psychological and social profile of US citizens that we are all cream puffs, addicted to TV, nice parties and shy from the uncomfortable affairs of Justice! Some how it is published that we will not stand up and take our place at the altar of judgement and produce an appropriate verdict – nothing could be farther from the truth. The Democrats run their states so that only those jurors who meet the criteria for simpletons and those easily persuaded are to sit in the box. So if the state wants a mistrial or a nasty verdict, it can count on the uneducated, the unemployed and the morally bankrupt to do the will of the prosecutor – because he has a political agenda and it isn’t justice. The Feds compound this stupidity, by claiming sensitive information can not be presented at trial. Quite frankly, that is B_ _ l___t! I say, have the US government set up a website and all the patriots who wish to be used on a federal jury that will try a terrorist or madman, can say, “Yes, I’ll serve!” You can put my name on that list, well at the head. All I know, is that ever since 1980 something, when a local political hack said my Biblical opinions about justice were discrediting the Massachusetts jury system, I have never been called to serve on a jury since! Get rid of Gitmo. Get rid of the jurors are effeminate prima-donnas, and tell the CIA, the NSA and Military intelligence, if you charge a man, put up or shut up!