Well, now the Left gets what it claimed it had wanted -- the indictment of Jose Padilla and the transfer of his case to full civilian control.

Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen held without charges for more than three years on suspicion of plotting a "dirty bomb" attack in this country, has been indicted on three counts alleging he conspired to "murder, maim and kidnap" people overseas.

The indictment naming Padilla and four others was unsealed Tuesday after being returned last week by a federal grand jury in Miami. While the charges allege Padilla was part of a U.S.-based terrorism conspiracy, they do not include the government's earlier allegations that he planned to carry out attacks in America.

"The indictment alleges that Padilla traveled overseas to train as a terrorist with the intention of fighting a violent jihad," Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said at a news conference. Gonzales declined to comment on why none of the allegations involving attacks in America were included in the indictment.

I'm not surprosed by the lack of charges about plans to carry out an attack in the US. Making the information involved public would most certainly result in the disclosure of intelligence sources that are still useful. Better to put this Islamist pig away for a long time without burning a useful intelligence asset than to go "whole hog" when it would be detrimental to national security. As it is, three of the charges carry a potential life sentence -- one count each of conspiracy to murder, maim and kidnap people overseas, providing material support to terrorists and conspiracy.

According to the indictment, Padilla traveled overseas to receive violent jihad training and to fight violent jihad from October 1993 to November 2001. On July 24, 2000, Padilla allegedly filled out a "Mujahideen Data Form" in preparation for violent jihad training in Afghanistan and reportedly was seen in that country in October 2000.

A "Mujahadeen Data Form"? Am I the only one here who has a vision of burqa-clad women in a mud hut doing data-entry work?

The charges against him and four others allege they were part of a North American support cell that sent money, assets and recruits overseas "for the purpose of fighting violent jihad." The indictment mentions Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, Egypt and Bosnia, but makes no allegations of specific attacks anywhere.

The others indicted are: Adham Amin Hassoun a Lebanese-born Palestinian who lived in Broward County, Fla.;, Mohammed Hesham Youssef, an Egyptian who lived in Broward County; Kifah Wael Jayyousi, a Jordanian national and U.S. citizen who lived in San Diego; and Kassem Daher, a Lebanese citizen with Canadian residency status.

Notice, friends, that we once again have a south Florida connection to terrorism -- where it is easy to flee the jurisdiction.. One of those indicted lived in San Diego, not far from the pourousborder with Mexico. Tow of the accused are in sustody in the US, while Youssef is in prison in Egypt and Daher is in Lebanon.

I wonder how long it is going to be before Left-wing supporters of the enemies of America demand the release of Padilla and his con-conspiritors on bail and the dismissal of all charges.

Posted by: Greg at 08:52 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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