Here is a slightly updated report from the Los Angeles Times online. Many of the things Mohammed confessed to were unsuccessful terrorist attempts, like the shoe bombing, and the assassination of former US presidents. Apparently he spoke for himself to some degree, but I would hope never to be tried in the manner he has been. As to that, tagos makes the point very well.
I got a problem believing that the same “master criminal mind” is responsible for things like the embassy bombings, the 9/11 attacks (both very complex, highly orchestrated, and successful attacks) and the Richard Reid gig. Would the same person who looked at Doofus Reid and said to himself “sure, yea, it might work” be able to plan anything more complex than a trip to the store for mayo?
I’m looking at the video right now. From a layman’s/juror’s perspective it does look a lot like Mohammed. As I said, we have ample opportunity to apply rules of evidence.
A crime such as this, if appropriately adjudicated, warrants a death penalty. Accordingly he will be a martyr no matter how much you want to beat your breast about torture and due process.
How many number three guys have we nailed already? 20? You wanna be in Al Q, be number one, number two, or four on down to #253,675. But not three. Three, you’re done for. Al Toast.
The story sure kicked The Purge off the front page of the Houston Chronicle.
And off CNN’s website, too. www.cnn.com/
One of the AQ’s “top men” that we captured was hailed by the government as being Osama’s (BTW, what’s up with Osama? When was the last time he issued a tape?) close friends, every AQ expert came out and said, “Actually, Osama couldn’t stand the guy and gave him a pretty meaningless job.”
We’ve got an Administration that at the very least, got the intel on WMDs wrong, if they didn’t outright lie about it, has used torture, fired government officials for purely political reasons, appointed people to critical jobs who had absolutely no qualifications for that position, and in general, has spent the past 6 years fucking things up. Now, they come out with a guy they’ve kept in isolation for 4 years and say that he’s confessed to a whole string of crimes. I’m sorry, but I’m not buying it. He might very well be Satan’s righthand man, without a fair and open trial there’s no way to be sure. Hell, he might be confessing all of that stuff because he’s given up all hope of ever being set free and would rather die than spend several decades locked up.
“Hi, my name is Abu Faraj al-Libbi and I’m Al Qaeda #3.”
“Hi, my name is Abu Hamza Rabia and I’m Al Qaeda #3.”
“Hi, my name is Abu Zubaida and I’m Al Qaeda #3.”
“Hi, my name is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and I’m Al Qaeda #3.”
“Hi, my name is Saif al-Adel and I’m Al Qaeda #3.”
“Hi, my name is **Mohammed Sheikh Mohammed ** and I’m Al Qaeda #3.”
Who is number one? You are, number 3.
[Iron Maiden]
I’m not a number
I’m a free man
and my life is my own
[/Iron Maiden]
As I understand it, with an amorphous “organization” of cells as AQ is purported to be, any senior commander who’s earned his bones would be #3. That’s what’s so convenient about conventional wisdom.
Same thing goes for al Qaeda "lieutenant"s.
I’m Spartacus!
Shhh. You’ll spoil the acoustics of the echo chamber.
Yes, please keep it down. Per tradition EO, our board anaconda, is trying gamely to swallow this latest Bush administration announcement whole—and with one this large and malodorous, the slightest distraction might cause him to choke.
Latest update – Khalid Sheik Mohammad is now admitting to organizing the assassination of President Kennedy and of personally sinking the Maine using 20 popsicle sticks and a pellet gun.
With one arm tied behind his back.
They kinda lost me when they said he shot J.R.
Next, he’ll tell us he pointed the Persian army at the goat path.
The designated hitter rule and regular season interleague play? All him.
Also that one time when I was in the fourth grade and someone framed me for hitting John Bresnahan in the ear with a spitwad.