DOJ Defends Abdulmutallab Decision

Under growing criticism from Capitol Hill, the Justice Department on Thursday defended its decision to interrogate and arrest the suspected Christmas Day bomber as a criminal rather than an enemy combatant, saying it got actionable intelligence from him and would continue to do so even as he faces a trial.

The alleged bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, was arrested and interrogated by the FBI before being read his Miranda rights and given access to a lawyer.

"Those who now argue that a different action should have been taken in this case were notably silent when dozens of terrorists were successfully prosecuted in federal court by the previous administration," Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

Miller's statement came as the senior members of the Senate Intelligence Committee said the attorney general should confer with intelligence officials before placing suspected terrorists under arrest and putting them into the civilian justice system.

The FBI was following standard procedure, but Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Vice Chairman Christopher Bond, R-Mo., said the suspect might have yielded more intelligence if he had been treated as an enemy combatant rather than as a criminal with full constitutional rights.

The FBI says Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian, tried to destroy Northwest Airlines Flight 253, which was carrying nearly 300 people en route from Amsterdam to Detroit, by injecting chemicals into a package of explosives concealed in his underwear. He has pleaded not guilty to a six-count indictment.

Miller said Abdulmutallab would continue to be interrogated.

"Trying Abdulmutallab in federal court does not prevent us from obtaining additional intelligence from him. He has already provided intelligence, and we will continue to work to gather intelligence from him, as the department has done repeatedly in past cases," Miller said.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, every terror suspect apprehended in the United States, including shoe bomber Richard Reid, has been handled the same way, Miller said.

The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

[tibu987]

My question is, why are these terrorists allowed to have civil trials and to take advantage of our civil laws and Constitution?
They are, after all is said, foreign terrorists whose only goal is the destruction of the U.S.
Why are they not tried in military courts as are soldiers of all countries?
Makes no sense to me. Treat them as the soldiers and enemies they are.

[tibu987]

My question is, why are these terrorists allowed to have civil trials and to take advantage of our civil laws and Constitution?
They are, after all is said, foreign terrorists whose only goal is the destruction of the U.S.
Why are they not tried in military courts as are soldiers of all countries?
Makes no sense to me. Treat them as the soldiers and enemies they are.

[nick_the_cat]

As long as you're willing to overlook the attempted murder of a planeload of innocent people. Really a rather warped sense of morality to view this particular individual as a victim of injustice.