Patriot Act RULES!!

“Terror Suspect Freed Despite Evidence Of 'Martyr' Attack

POSTED: 6:44 am EDT June 3, 2004

WASHINGTON -- Nabil al-Marabh, once imprisoned as the No. 27 man on the FBI's list of must-capture terror suspects, is free again.

He's free despite telling a Jordanian informant he planned to die a martyr by driving a gasoline truck into a New York City tunnel, turning it sideways, opening its fuel valves and having an al-Qaida operative shoot a flare to ignite a massive explosion.

Free despite telling the FBI he had trained on rifles and rocket propelled grenades at militant camps in Afghanistan and after admitting he sent money to a former roommate convicted of trying to blow up a hotel in Jordan.

Free despite efforts by prosecutors in Detroit and Chicago to indict him on charges that could have kept him in prison for years. Those indictments were rejected by the Justice Department in the name of protecting intelligence. Even two judges openly questioned al-Marabh's terror ties.

The Bush administration in January deported al-Marabh to Syria - his home and a country the U.S. government long has regarded as a sponsor of terrorism.

The quiet end to al-Marabh's case provides a stark contrast to other cases in which the Bush administration has held suspects without lawyers as enemy combatants. It also contrasts with the terms FBI agents used to describe al-Marabh in internal documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Al-Marabh "intended to martyr himself in an attack against the United States," an FBI agent wrote in December 2002. A footnote in al-Marabh's deportation ruling last year added, "The FBI has been unable to rule out the possibility that al-Marabh has engaged in terrorist activity or will do so if he is not removed from the United States."

One FBI report summarized a high-level debriefing of a Jordanian informant named Ahmed Y. Ashwas that was conducted personally by the U.S. attorney in Chicago. The informant claimed al-Marabh told him of specific terrorist plans during their time in prison while al-Marabh was serving an eight-month sentence for entering the United States illegally.

Even the federal judge who accepted al-Marabh's plea agreement on minor immigration charges in 2002 balked. "Something about this case just makes me feel uncomfortable," Judge Richard Arcara said in court. The Justice Department assured the judge that al-Marabh did not have terrorist ties.

A second judge who ultimately ordered al-Marabh's deportation sided with FBI agents, federal prosecutors and Customs Service agents in the field who believed al-Marabh was tied to terrorism.

"The court finds applicant does present a danger to national security," U.S. Immigration Judge Robert D. Newberry ruled, concluding al-Marabh was "credibly linked to elements of terrorism" and had a "propensity to lie."

Justice spokesman Bryan Sierra said Wednesday the government has concerns about many people with suspected terror ties, including al-Marabh, but cannot effectively try them in court without giving away intelligence sources and methods.

"If the government cannot prosecute terrorism charges, another option is to remove the individual from the United States via deportation. After careful review, this was determined to be the best option available under the law to protect our national security," he said.

A Democratic senator on the Senate Judiciary Committee scoffed at that explanation. "It's hard to believe that the best way to deal with the FBI's 27th most wanted terrorist is to send him back to a terrorist-sponsoring country," Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said Wednesday night, claiming the Justice Department could have used a military tribunal or a classified criminal trial.

Internal FBI and Justice Department documents show prosecutors and FBI agents gathered evidence that linked al-Marabh to:
Raed Hijazi, the Boston cab driver convicted in Jordan for plotting to blow up an American-frequented hotel in Amman during the 1999 millennium celebrations. Al-Marabh and Hijazi were roommates at the Afghan training camps and later in the United States, and al-Marabh sent money to Hijazi.
The Detroit apartment where four men were arrested in what became the administration's first major terror prosecution after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Al-Marabh's name was still on the rental unit when agents raided it. The men were found with false IDs and documents describing alleged terror plots, and two of the four were convicted of being part of a terrorism conspiracy.
Several large deposits, withdrawals and overseas wire transfers in 1998 and 2000 that were flagged as suspicious by a Boston bank. The Customs Service first identified al-Marabh in 2001 for possible terrorist ties to Hijazi.

FBI documents said al-Marabh denied being affiliated with al-Qaida. But he acknowledged receiving training in rifles and rocket-propelled grenades in an Afghan camp, sending money to his friend Hijazi, using a fake address to get a truck driving license and buying a phony passport for $4,000 in Canada to sneak into the United States shortly before Sept. 11.

Al-Marabh's attorney, Mark Kriger, said Wednesday he had never seen the Jordanian informant report and still doesn't believe his client had anything to do with terrorism. Kriger said he found it unbelievable "that the government, if it believed Ashwas, would have deported Mr. al-Marabh rather than indict him."

He also questioned why authorities talked to an informant who collected information from his client after he already had legal representation. "Certainly it would be improper for the government, knowing someone was represented by counsel, to plant an informant to get information from him," Kriger said.

The Justice Department's criminal division chief, Chris Wray, expressed concern to Congress last month that some suspects were being deported to freedom. "It may be more difficult than people would expect" to make a case against a suspect, even when he or she trained at terror camps, he said.

"We may be able to deport the person under the immigration laws," Wray added. "And while that should give us some comfort, the fact is, if we go that route, the person is removed to another country and turned loose there, and we have no ability to make sure that they're not engaged in further terrorist activity."

At one point, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald in Chicago drafted an indictment against al-Marabh on multiple counts of making false statements in his interviews with FBI agents. Justice headquarters declined prosecution. Fitzgerald declined through a spokesman to discuss the reasons.

Fitzgerald then tracked down Ashwas, the Jordanian who because of minor immigration problems had spent time with al-Marabh in a federal detention cell in 2002. Fitzgerald had the man flown to Chicago and oversaw his debriefing, documents show.

The FBI summarized Ashwas' allegations:

Al-Marabh said he aided Hijazi's flight from authorities and sent him money, plotted a martyrdom attack in the United States and took instructions from a mystery figure in Chicago known only as "al Mosul," which means "boss" in Arabic.
Al Mosul asked al-Marabh to attend a driving school in Detroit with Arabic instructors so he could get a commercial truck driver's license, and arranged for al-Marabh to live in the Detroit apartment later raided by the FBI.
Al-Marabh said he and Hijazi planned to steal a fuel truck from a rest stop in New York and New Jersey and detonate it in the heavily traveled Lincoln or Holland tunnels, but the plan was foiled when Hijazi was arrested.
Al-Marabh acknowledged he had distributed as much as $200,000 a month to various training camps in Afghanistan in the early 1990s.

The FBI and prosecutors confirmed some aspects of Ashwas' account, including that al-Marabh had been at the Detroit apartment, had trained at at least one Afghan camp and had gotten the truck driver's license.

Fitzgerald wasn't alone in his efforts to try to bring a case against al-Marabh.

In Detroit, prosecutors developed evidence but weren't allowed to bring a case connecting al-Marabh to the terror cell there.

One of those prosecutors, longtime career Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Convertino, recently sued Ashcroft, alleging the Justice Department improperly interfered with prosecuting terrorists. Justice says Convertino is under investigation for possibly withholding a piece of evidence from defense lawyers in the Detroit terror case.”

“Isn't that interesting....”

“Yep! We ust got a nw FBI director here in D-Town. Seems the former was dirty, along with another agent.

It was done....reeeeeeeel quite like, ya know?”

“I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for further developments ----”

“Very interesting indeed. I guess the Act isn’t such a fascist, Nazi law that takes away all our rights after all.”

“"The Justice Department assured the judge that al-Marabh did not have terrorist ties.

A second judge who ultimately ordered al-Marabh's deportation sided with FBI agents, federal prosecutors and Customs Service agents in the field who believed al-Marabh was tied to terrorism. "


It is late in the day but am I missing something?

The Justice Department said "No, he is not connected to terrorism"

The FBI said "Yes, he is"



WTF?”

“""Very interesting indeed. I guess the Act isn’t such a fascist, Nazi law that takes away all our rights after all......"


Yep, who woulda thunk it.


We need more rights taken away!

It the only American thing we can do!”

“Chili - I know. I saw someting on MSNBC today where there was an Al-Queda homie that went through all the training, got cold feet, told the Feds, Feds said "we believe you, but not that much, let him go, planes smash into buildings.

I thought this bunch had cash thrown at them to reform?

Between this and the CIA, man our intel is in some REAL bad shape.

Why were these people allowed to stay if they are so f--in` bad?”

“the same reason you are allowed to stay on TT, i rekon....”

“Hey man - The weekend is very young.

You best be bringin` the A game, or you can just go back and swim in the kiddie pool with hacpac.”

“Intel budgets were hacked prior to sept 11. Its ironic that the hack and slashers racked tenet over the coals about failures, his response was a reminder that they cut his budget. No easy answers. Intel is a slow messy business. A primary stumbling block in middle eastern/muslim areas is the lack of human intel. For example prior to the invasion of Iraq we had only 4 sources in the Ba'ath party. Not too many at all. Its really hard to infiltrate groups that have a tribal/familial base of recruiting. AndAl Quaeda only accepted like one out of 5 volunteers a few years back. It not like spying in the "good ole days" when money was the ticket. Lots of these folks are motivated by principle, that is hard to bribe.

Back to the squabbling kids....”

“"Yep, who woulda thunk it.


We need more rights taken away!

It the only American thing we can do!"

I never said that Q (don't be a dipshlt). I just find it funny how all the Chicken Littles run around acting like the SS is coming because of the PA. Yet the very things they say will cause us to lose our rights (wire taps, searches, ect) are already used for fighting the drug trade.”

“Where's the f----in` tongue in cheek emoticon?”

“A simple emoticon isn’t going to fix your eternal pessimism.”

“It's MY pessimism, damn it!

You can't have any!

Mine - Mine - ALL MINE!


You hear me?


YOU HEAR ME!?!?!”

“If they really are out to get you.... are you still paranoid?

I don't think so, but my sister the therapist says 'yes'. She always was a little flakey.



Yossarian: Those bastards are trying to kill me.
Milo: No one is trying to kill you sweetheart. Now eat your dessert like a good boy.
Yossarian: Oh yeah? Then why are they shooting at me Milo?
Dobbs: They're shooting at everyone Yossarian.
Yossarian: And what difference does that make?
Dobbs: Look Yossarian, suppose, I mean just suppose everyone thought the same way you do.
Yossarian: Then I'd be a damn fool to think any different.

Catch-22 (1970)”

“Fox News says a new provision slipped into the Patriot Act by Arlen Specter, the Pennsylvania Republican, would give the Secret Service virtually unchecked authority to make felony arrests of demonstrators inside a security perimeter at any "special event of national significance," even when the star of the show -- like Bush or Cheney -- isn't present.

This would apply at any designated "National Security Special Events," even when the president is dead [
Ronald Reagan's funeral procession] or not there [the Super Bowl.] What as once ranked as misdemeanor trespassing would be elevated to a federal felony.

This is on top of FAA flight restrictions dictating that private pilots can't fly above Cheney's new Chesapeake Bay neighborhood even when the VP isn't home.
last edited: 2/01/06 5:41:43 PM”

“Anyone too spineless to at least post under their own trailname doesn't deserve a response. You're asking REAL people to post a response to your fairy-tale creation.

You suck, all of you trolls suck, you have no balls, no courage and no convictiction of your beliefs or you'd let us know who you really are.

I feel badly for you... obviously there's some mental / psychological deficiency here that prevents you from showing us who you really are.

So, RLC, are you a wimpy, whiney-baby”

“Do what I do. Put him on ignore. It works great.”

“I'm sorry my news item upset you. The Patriot Act has a tendency to do that to some. But let me complement you on your name-calling abilities. Very creative.

Um...I was wondering, why don't you post under your real name? Please also post your home address. Your SSN and phone number would be great as well. After all, you should let us know who you really are.

Thanks!”

“Don't try to pull your smart-ass cutsey crap with me, RLC, if you click on my name you'll get my email address & if you want can communicate with me. Click on your email address & you get ^#$#&.

So... this is supposedly a Backpacking Board.. should I schedule a trip with some A$$hole from wherever with no contact information and no history on this board except a history as an a$$hole?


I'm sure you don't want anyone to know who you really are (maybe even embarrased to admit to yourself who you really are?), you're probably emarrassed to admit who you really are, what other lame excuse do you have for hiding behind a troll name?”

“wanderer - Last time - read his profile. He admits he's a troll.

"ignore this user"

He just hasn't pissed off a certain female on here so he's allowed to stay. - No timeouts unless somebody (I won't say who) doesn't like him.
last edited: 2/01/06 6:46:46 PM”

“"wanderer - Last time - read his profile. He admits he's a troll."

---random dumbarse

LMAfriggin'-O

Hell, if you are too stupid to recoginize that he/she is a brilliant parodic troll after JUST READING THE NAME, then you obviously would post the latter.

BTW - what do you expect from wanderer, he's a coward.”

“The real cowards are the ones who are willing to give up 'freedom' in the name of 'security'.”

“Looking forward to good discussions around the campfire in a few weeks.”

“STUPID FREAKIN DICK MUNCHING CRACK BABIES”

“He just hasn't pissed off a certain female on here so he's allowed to stay. - No timeouts unless somebody (I won't say who) doesn't like him.
last edited: 2/01/06 7:46:46 PM”
Sarge
7:45:14 PM
2/01/06

Wow. You couldn't make that stuff up.”

“Who? Who? Mapes???????? tell me puhleeeeeeeze!

And I think matt probably makes up his own mind.


BTW - does RLC lie?”

“Anyone too spineless to at least post under their own trailname doesn't deserve a response. You're asking REAL people to post a response to your fairy-tale creation.

You suck, all of you trolls suck, you have no balls, no courage and no convictiction of your beliefs or you'd let us know who you really are.

wanderer
5:57:31 PM
I totally agree with Wanderer, anyone here that does not associate a face with their name is a coward.
Bateaux

The real cowards are the ones who are willing to give up 'freedom' in the name of 'security'.”
Y2
8:38:22 PM
I totally agree with Y2, cowards that give up freedom for security have lost both.
Bateaux”

“If the PA exercises the same powers we have always had for catching drug dealers (Bush's words, not mine), why do we need it then? Makes a guy stop and think, don't it?

Just for the record RLC is a coward. Handles are fine but when a regular doesn't have the onions to say something under their own name...well then they are yeller.”

“I hate to piss you off, Nah not hate more like...aw what the heck, A public safety officer can arrest you for any reason if you want to get technical. And you can actually indict anyone for anything.

See there are THREE branches of government. The thing that truly makes you free is not the Bill of Rights but the Writ of Habeus Corpus. So if you are at a Presidential event and you yell "YOU SUCK" at the President and his Secret Service guys arrest you, they can only hold you for so long without charges.”

“anyone here that does not associate a face with their name is a coward.

Gee whiz, where the heck have you guys been living? I thought everyone knew my face.

Pssst...I'm the good looking one on the right. Get it? THE RIGHT!
LOLlolLOLlolLOLlolLOLlolLOLlol
I crack myself up.

hahaha, get it? CRACK?
LOLlolLOLlolLOLlolLOLlolLOLlol
last edited: 2/02/06 9:08:29 AM”

“He just hasn't pissed off a certain female on here so he's allowed to stay. - No timeouts unless somebody (I won't say who) doesn't like him.
last edited: 2/01/06 7:46:46 PM
Sarge
7:45:14 PM
2/01/06

What does this mean?”

“s-rge thinks a certain female got him banned. To bad he can't see that he got himself banned.”

“As long as there's no hazing of the rookie BB ;op”

“Step #1: Admit your problem and take responsibility.


I blame SS for all my rants..........except when it comes to Illegal immigrants. Then I blame Ewker......sometimes Nigal......but mostly SS.


:D”

“bearmagnet, keep it up and no more pics on the atonement thread for you”

“You'll post them for someone else though. ;)”

“280-138”

“Every survey that has been taken show that Americans overwhelmingly support eavesdropping on al Quaeda.

You can bet the Democrats will continue to make this a cornerstone of their political campaign and lose again.”

“280-138
Sarge
8:51:13 PM
3/07/06

wow, you make it sound like it was a total blowout in favor of it.

Yes it passed but the vote was a lot closer than you are showing it to be.

"The 280-138 vote Tuesday evening passed by just two votes more than needed under House rules requiring a two-thirds majority for legislation handled on an expedited basis.

The vote ended a months long battle over how to balance privacy rights against the need to defeat potential terrorists — a political struggle in which President Bush was forced to accept new restraints on law enforcement investigations"

Those new restraints that were added to the Patriot Act were added and agreed upon by both parties.

You had 66 Democrats and 214 Republicans voting in favor of it, 13 Republicans and 124 Democrats were against it.”

“I’m about as anti-terrorist, anti-arab, anti-muslim as you can get but the 95% of the PA Bush touts as the same powers used in the war on drugs is a front for that 5% that gives them near unlimited power.

Nearly all of the congress didn’t even read the damn thing before voting on it.”

“wow, you make it sound like it was a total blowout in favor of it.

I left no commentary. I just posted the final results. You sure do have an overactive imagination Ewker.”

“2/3 is a blow out.”

“Where was the eavesdropping on Enron? Oh, that's my buddy---Kenny, you're doin a hellova job.”

“not over active just know how you try to do things”

“Oh, ok Ewker.

”

“Where was the eavesdropping on Enron? Oh, that's my buddy---Kenny, you're doin a hellova job.”
salebored
10:23:48 AM
3/08/06

You have to ask Bill Clinton that question.”

“Nobody brought up how the ACLU dropped it's charges re: the Patriot Act.

Poor ACLU. Nothing illegal there to sue for.

They gots nothing.”

“Andy Griffith vs. Patriot Act

lolLOLlolLOLlol!!!”