Threat of 'dirty bomb' softened, Ashcroft's remarks annoy White House

USA TODAY ^ | Wednesday, June 12, 2002 | By Kevin Johnson and Toni Locy

[Momaw Nadon]

WASHINGTON -- Attorney General John Ashcroft on Monday overstated the potential threat posed by ''dirty bomb'' suspect Abdullah Al Muhajir, Bush administration and law enforcement officials said Tuesday.

Ashcroft's remarks annoyed the White House and led the administration to soften the government's descriptions of the alleged plot. ''I don't think there was actually a plot beyond some fairly loose talk and (Al Muhajir's) coming in here obviously to plan further deeds,'' Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told CBS on Tuesday.

[Momaw Nadon]

FYI and discussion

[AmericanInTokyo]

what's all this new 'spin' about??

[lavaroise]

It's about distancing and removing responsibilities. It's about opacity in government. It's about denial. It's about pretending they can run our lives yet it is ok for them not to be sure about each other on things. It is about socialist hypocrisy at work.

[grimalkin]

The press is always on spin cycle.

[First_Salute]

We are given to understand that we are not going to have these mis-spokens with a whole new federal Department of Focus and its agents?

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[PoppingSmoke]

"Attorney General John Ashcroft on Monday overstated the potential threat posed by ''dirty bomb'' suspect Abdullah Al Muhajir, Bush administration and law enforcement officials said Tuesday. "

Great and we are holding this guy an American without due process? I have a bad feeling about this.....

[AAABEST]

''I don't think there was actually a plot beyond some fairly loose talk and (Al Muhajir's) coming in here obviously to plan further deeds,'' Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told CBS on Tuesday.

Gee, I feel much better now that for the first time in history we whisk a citizen (albiet a POS scumbag citizen) away and hold him till "whenever" without charging him with a crime. "Fairly loose talk" is an awfully low bar for such a potentially dangerous extra-constitutional precedent set by the exectuive branch.

I gotta believe that someone as sharp (and as Jewish) as Wolfy has to have a huge problem with this, and with Ashcroft whipping up propagandic hysteria for political purposes.

[alnick]

He's no girl scout. According to this article, the plot was still in early planning stages, and a dirty bomb was one of a number of possible attack scenarios. The thug is still an Al Qaeda terrorist, and it was only a matter of time before he killed a lot of American citizens. He's still an illegal combatant and should still be held and interrogated.

[freeperfromnj]

I believe it was more than loose talk. Padillo trained in Afghanistan, has ties with Al Qeada and they are questioning a possible accomplice. He clearly was conspiring against his own country. The White House should be backing Ashcroft and let him do his job. I think most Americans are behind Ashcroft on this. It will be a mistake for the administration to back down on this. We're lucky we got this guy while it was just loose talk. If we start focusing on the rights of the terrorists we have already lost the battle.

[Taiwan Bocks]

Better start busting these you have a chance to bust.

The islamists know they'll get an easy ride even if their caught.

Show these miscreants they have zero chance of getting some OJ Simpson treatment,
If it's proven they have Al Qaeda links give them life without chance of parole unless proven innocent.
Unless they rat out the really bad guys, give all militant islamists life with no chance of parole
FOR JUST SPOUTING OFF ABOUT ATTACKING AMERICA

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

It sounds like a case of 'OK John, we'll let you give your speech, but if there is no attack within a few days, we're going to start the backpedal. You willing to be the fall guy?' It wouldn't be all that unusual. If there were an attack, John would be on record as having warned the public, and the Bush administration could claim that they did all they could, and gave Ashcroft wide berth to use discretion when issuing warnings.

Or then there's the Occam's Razor approach, which would be that the article is accurate as is. The simplest solution is usually the correct one.

[AAABEST]

. If we start focusing on the rights of the terrorists

I can't speak for anyone else, but I was fine with detaining the many hundreds of foreigners we have in custody. Mattafact, let's start sending their heads home to their families .... I wouldn't lose one minute of sleep over it.

However, the executive shouldn't be using such a low standard for making a historic, precedent setting move that pierces the constitution in regard to a citizen. It shows weakness if you ask me and disregard for our nation of laws.

This guy doesn't exactly appear to be Bin Laden's version of the Manchurian candidate.

BTW, this is what your profile will look like once we get a nice Clintonoid admin is crap like this is allowed to stand.

SUSPECT PROFILE

Name: ********* (blacked out for security purposes)

AKA:freeperfromnj

Reason for Terrorist Profile: Suspect frequents far right web sights. Unusually strong pro gun opinions. Sympathetic to Branch Davidians in Waco indcident which may indicate McViegh type personality traits.

Data Gathering Method: Legal download of suspects entire hard drive without notice while suspect went out to shop, as per provisions of USA Patriot Act. Warrant issued by Magistrate appointed by current administration.

Current Status: Held in undisclosed location for indefinite period of time until charges can be filed on unrelated evidence found on suspects hard drive. No phone calls or contact with family permitted until interrogation process is complete. When attorney contact is permitted all communication will be closely monitored

[freeperfromnj]

Your point is well-taken, however, I think these are extenuating circumstances. Military courts should suffice where American traitors are concerned. For the past nine months the threat of an attack using a dirty bomb has been hanging over the country like a dark cloud and here we have the potential operative who trained for and was planning just such an attack. I am behind Ashcroft in this case.

[mhking]

Held in undisclosed location for indefinite period of time until charges can be filed on unrelated evidence found on suspects hard drive.

Good point - the sad part is that many folks are willing to give up the rights of US citizens, along with their own rights in order to "get the terrorists."

Haven't a lot of people here insisted that "Those that give up their freedom in order to secure their liberty deserve neither?"

There was just a poll that we FReeped what - yesterday? Monday? - where plenty of folks said that it was OK to give up our collective rights, in order to get the bad guys. I can't believe that we are willing to give up our rights so easily.

Give Jose his rights, let him see his lawyer. He's an ex-con, he's been with known felons. I'm sure there is something that we can nail his sorry butt on. Once we have him, question the daylights out of him, and go from there. Once we find definitive evidence that he is Al Qaeda and that he was plotting to kill civilians in the US, kill him. No infinite appeals, no handwringing, just kill him. If we do it that way, we do not compromise our values, but we get the bad guys. We cannot take the easy way out -- which is what we are doing now.

[shield]

BRITISH SECURITY SOURCES RAISE DOUBTS OVER US CLAIMS ABOUT 'DIRTY BOMBER'

By Kim Sengupta and Andrew Buncombe in Washington
12 June 2002

British and European security officials are highly sceptical of American claims that the alleged "dirty bomb" plotter, Abdullah al-Muhajir, was preparing to unleash a radioactive attack.

British sources point out that despite extensive inquiries, no evidence has been produced to show that he had access to the radioactive material needed to build the bomb, or indeed that he had even worked out a time or place to launch the attack.

The most that could be said about Mr Muhajir, a former member of a Chicago street gang now allegedly working for al-Qa'ida, is that he had the "intention" of launching such an attack, security sources said.

President Bush announced yesterday that a "full-scale manhunt" was under way across the United States for accomplices of Mr Muhajir. "We will run down every lead, every hint. We're in for a long struggle in this war on terror. And there are people that still want to harm America."

Before his arrest at Chicago's O'Hare airport on 8 May, Mr Muhajir – who changed his name from Jose Padilla – stopped in Zurich on the way from Pakistan, where he collected $10,500 (£7,000).

Despite claims by the Attorney General, John Ashcroft, that the FBI had disrupted a plan to launch a radioactive attack against Washington, other officials conceded yesterday that there was no evidence that any such plot had progressed beyond the most basic stages.

British security sources, who believe Mr Muhajir might have been acting as a courier, said the Americans investigated Mr Muhajir's activities and tried to find a terrorist network he may have been involved with inside the US. The highly publicised announcement of the arrest only came after the failure to find anything more incriminating.

In Washington there was a growing suspicion that the arrest was seized on by the Bush administration in dramatic fashion for political ends. British and European security agencies do believe, however, that there is still a real threat of a possible attack.

[TexKat]

Whether Ashcroft over spoke or not, this guy is still a threat to the American people. I do not understand why it was such a big deal for the White House to come out and somewhat contradict Ashcroft and make their complete cabinet look incompetent. I guess their going by the old addage (Never let your left hand, know what the right hand is doing).

[AAABEST]

Interesting.

[gcruse]

Ashcroft's remarks annoyed the White House
and led the administration to soften the
 government's descriptions of the alleged plot.

Ashcroft also annoys the hell out of the
Constitution as regards powers not
specifically given to the federal govt
being reserved for the states.  Where is
Al Haig when we need someone to
be in charge?