Are you assuming that if the FBI had, in the course of surveillance and wire-tapping (which I assume they could have gotten permission to do as it could be proven they were Al Queda members) found out that they planned to fly buildings into the WTC, that we couldn't legally stop them (or at least try?).
Perhaps, the Feds couldn't have gotten permission from the Clinton's Justice dept to do surveillance or whatever. But as a regular person, knowing what Al Queda had accomplished even before 911, it seems reasonable to assume that they were up to something. Given that they had green cards and were not citizens, I have no problem presuming them guilty.
Again, truly our hands might have been tied without The Wall, but I don't know that for sure.
I don't know - could they? Based on what law?
Given that they had green cards and were not citizens, I have no problem presuming them guilty.
Me either, but what you or I presume is irrelevant. What counts is whether they had enough information to arrest them and make it stick. I don't know the law well enough to know if they did.