Hawashed Up (liberal's cause celebre "innocent" admits he's a terrorist)

Opinion Journal-the Wall St. Journal ^ | Thursday, August 7, 2003 3:09 p.m. EDT | BY JAMES TARANTO

[Behind Liberal Lines]

"Maher Hawash, an Intel software engineer whose detention in Oregon prompted high-profile protests about civil rights abuse, pleaded guilty [yesterday] to a federal charge of conspiring to help the Taliban in Afghanistan," the Washington Post reports. "In return for his promise to testify against six other Portland-based suspects accused of plotting in 2001 to wage war against the United States, federal prosecutors dropped more serious terrorism charges against Hawash."

This case is noteworthy for two reasons. First, Hawash had a lot of advocates who loudly declared his innocence. The Free Mike Hawash! Web site is still up, though it hasn't been updated with news of his guilty plea (indeed, the latest news on it is from May 6).

Second, Hawash and his alleged co-conspirators are from Portland--a city whose police department notoriously announced in November 2001 that it would refuse to cooperate with federal terrorism investigations. Let's hope there's some rethinking going on in the Beaver State.

[Constitutional Patriot]

I'm sure there are still plenty of lefties out there who will still ask for his release despite the guilty plea.

[Paleo Conservative]

Doesn't Hawash rhyme with hogwash?

[randog]

I'm sure there are still plenty of lefties out there who will still ask for his release despite the guilty plea.

Of course--he was framed, tortured, whatever. Never let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory.

[WKB]

P-7 ping

[MEG33]

I had a Portland site on my favorites list for awhile to follow this story.I'm sure there will be no "sorrys" from the protesters.

[ZviTheWise]

If fed prosecutors threaten a ham sandwich with a charge that includes a potential death penalty, they can get it to cop a plea.

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for the ping!

This is the pic we all see.

However, this is how he looked when he was arrested.

Hardly the clean cut guy in the first pic. AFAIK, FNC is the only one running the second pic.

[Gurn]

I just hope that some hardened criminals make this rag-head their b**ch; pass him around and have their way with him.

[King Prout]

yeah, like the Rosenbergs and Hiss.

[piasa]

Except this ham sandwich joined a bunch of people whose goal was to kill US troops, and would have done so had they been able to enter Pakistan. He wasn't in Xingiang Province to peddle Intel products.

The ham sandwich didn't end up with the same itinerary in China, same hotels, or the same source of funding as the others of the Portland Cell, just by coincidence. Nor did this Palestinian ham sandwich become one of the biggest donors to Global Relief because he thought it was going to "feed the children."

And the Feds don't plea bargain with someone who doesn't have information to bargain with.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

First Post: I'm sure there are still plenty of lefties out there who will still ask for his release despite the guilty plea.

Second Post:Of course--he was framed, tortured, whatever. Never let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory.

Third Post:If fed prosecutors threaten a ham sandwich with a charge that includes a potential death penalty, they can get it to cop a plea.

Thanks for proving posts one and two, Zvi.

[ZviTheWise]

Which I assume means you agree with the truth of my 3rd post... Muchibus Thankibus!