There's a real problem here.
On one hand, there is no possible reason to let proven threats loose into society.
On the other hand, a Constitution is inviolable.
Rock, meet hard place.
Yes, I know right now we can hold terrorists indefinitely, without typical rights, but that is not a sustainable practice. Yes, it works now, because Bush is a fundamentally good person, but what happens when a scumbag like Clinton gets into office and the Patriot Act is still in full force, wide open for abuse?
This is a fundamental conflict that needs to be resolved now, before we are faced with the inevitable result of allowing conflicts of this magnitude to go unaddressed.
If Canada finds a workable solution, I'm happy to listen to it, because sooner or later, we here in America are either going to resolve the same issues, or else it's going to slap us right in the face.
Most likely, the same thing that happened in the '90's -- nothing. Muslim terrorists will have a multi-culturally-sensitive free ride, complete with all kinds of federally-funded community outreach programs (Karen Huges, ICNA) and cushy Federal appointments (Alamoudi) until they actually do some major damage (the first WTC bombing), which, of course, will be handled as a law enforcement issue.
This is a fundamental conflict that needs to be resolved now, before we are faced with the inevitable result of allowing conflicts of this magnitude to go unaddressed.
In our suicidally PC society, what are the alternatives? They can't be deported due to fear of "torture" in their home countries, and in places like Canada, the bar for political asylum is set barely above ground level. Al-Arian is slated to be deported, but there is considerable doubt that the Feds will be able to do so. It took years to deport his brother-in-law, who was finally surreptitiously dumped somewhere in the ME shortly after 9/11.Taking these would-be jihadists and hate mongers to court is useless unless a crime can be proved, and the lengthy three-ring legal circus, fawned over by the media, is incredibly expensive: e.g. Moussaoui.
If we release them, we tie up resources in tracking them, and take a great risk of losing sight of them.
We are hoisted by the petard of our own political correctness, and until we have the fortitude to declare Islam a violent political ideology, rather than a religion, this problem will fester, and our defenses will continue to weaken as more and more of them are allowed to infiltrate our society, openly propagate their murderous ideology, and destroy our defenses.