september
23, 2005
West Still
Doesn't Realize Imminence of Jihadist Threat
In yesterday's blog, I criticized a U.S. Magistrate
Judge's decision to set a suspected Muslim-American terrorist,
Ali Asad Chandia, free on bond as he awaits trial. Today,
I've got to deal out similar criticism--this time to British
authorities--for allowing a white Muslim convert named
Zayead Hajaig out on bail as he awaits sentencing. Hajaig
had been arrested by Scotland Yard anti-terror detectives
in Britain last week. He's wanted for questioning by American
authorities. Here's why, from London's
Sunday Times :
A “special alert bulletin” sent to airports
and flight schools by the Atlanta Joint Terrorism Task
Force said Hajaig had taken flying lessons at Gwinnett
County Airport near Atlanta in 2002 — where Mohammed
Atta and Marwan al-Shehhi, two of the hijackers who crashed
aircraft into the World Trade Center in New York, had
learnt to fly.
Hajaig was living in America illegally but had managed
to obtain an official pilot’s licence from the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) in April 2002. Roland Herwig,
an FAA spokesman, said Hajaig had obtained single-engine
and multi-engine ratings, but his licence was revoked
in November 2002 because he had not been examined by an
aviation physician. He apparently raised suspicions when
he tried to have his pilot rating upgraded, despite not
being properly qualified. The warning said that he became
“aggressive and attempted to have the flight school
accelerate his training”. Officials said Hajaig
was believed to have fled from America when he became
aware that his activities had sparked an official investigation.
The FBI said Hajaig should not be allowed to rent
or fly planes or take any flying lessons. He has been
put on a “no-fly” list which bans him from
flying any form of aircraft.
These charges should have been serious enough for the
Brits to deny Hajaig bail, especially given the heightened
state of awareness in the country since July's London
bombings. Yet, according to The
Scotsman, Hajaig was told yeserday that "he could
remain free as long as he did 'not fly or hire any commercial
aircraft.' Conditions of residence, reporting daily to
police and surrendering all travel documents were also
imposed."
Gee, that sure makes me feel safer. The question I have
here, as I did with the aformentioned Ali Asad Chandia,
is this: why release either of them when there is a chance
they may try to flee and/or link up with some jihadist
buddies? Wouldn't it be wise to keep them both under lock
and key until sentencing, given the danger they both allegedly
pose? This may seem like a small detail to some, but to
me, it's indicative of how far the West still has to go
in realizing the nature and imminence of the jihadist
threat.
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