Reflections From a Murky Pond

Two would-be jihadis, bent on attacking US troops were arrested at JFK airport in Queens, NY late last night (Saturday, June 5, 2010) by the FBI and NYPD.

The vermin were trying to go to Somalia to join up with the Al-Shabab insurgent group which is tied to Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network. The jihadis, Mohamed Hamoud Alessa of North Bergen, NJ and Carlos Eduardo Almonte of Elmwood Park, NJ have been charged with conspiring to commit an act of international terrorism.

From NJ.com:

NEWARK — Two New Jersey men intent on killing American troops were arrested Saturday as they boarded flights to link up with a virulent jihadist group in Somalia, authorities said.

The men, both North Jersey residents, were charged with conspiring to commit an act of international terrorism through a group tied to Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda network, according to officials familiar with the details of the arrests.

Mohamed Hamoud Alessa, 20, of North Bergen, and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, 26, of Elmwood Park were apprehended at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens before they could board separate flights to Egypt, where they were to start journeys to Somalia. The men were arrested by teams of state and federal law-enforcement agents who have been investigating the pair since October 2006, according to the officials, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the operation publicly.

Late Saturday night, the state homeland security agency confirmed a police action at the airport but gave few details.

“Two individuals were arrested at JFK in connection with an ongoing investigation. At this time, we can provide no further details because the investigation is ongoing. The arrests do not relate to an immediate threat,” said Jose Lozano, a spokesman for the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.

U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Rebekah Carmichael issued a similar statement just after midnight, saying “the arrests do not relate to any known immediate threat to the public or active plot against the United States.”

The arrests were the culmination of Operation Arabian Knight, a joint federal and local investigation, during which an undercover NYPD police official befriended the two traitorous scum and monitored their jihadist activities and travel plans since 2006.

Like the animals, Nidal Hasan and Faisal Shahzadt, Alessa and Almonte are US citizens. The charge of treason should be added to the indictment and the death penalty sought as the sentence.

Sadly but unsurprisingly for America, neither President Obama or his boy, Attorney General Holder have the desire to fully prosecute Muslim “Americans” or their dhimmi allies – or, frankly it seems, most non-White offenders.

It’s good to see that investigations like Operation Arabian Knight are taking place and are, at least in some instances, being successful at eliminating or mitigating the threat posed by Islamic terrorism.  

Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistani-born naturalized American citizen decided to turn jihadi and join the ranks of Muslim terrorists who plague the Civilized World.  On Saturday, May 1, 2010 Shahzad drove a SUV loaded with improvised explosives into Times Square in NYC and tried to explode it amid the crowd of New Yorkers and tourists, which would have resulted in mass civilian casualties.

Fortunately Shahzad’s training by the Taliban in his home nation of Pakistan didn’t seem to include adequate training in such improvised munitions. The car bomb failed to detonate and within hours the FBI apprehended Faisal Shahzad.

Federal prosecutors have filed a five (5) count indictment against charges against Shahzad on Tuesday, May 4, 2010  in U.S. District Court of Southern New York: attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, use of a destructive device in connection with criminal violence, transporting and receiving explosives, and damaging and destroying property by means of fire.

These are five very serious federal crimes. When – there’s no point in bothering with the fantasy of saying “if” – the filthy, failed jihadi terrorist is convicted he will face life in prison, mostly likely effectively without any possibility of parole.

Yet the single most applicable and important federal charge against Faisal Shahzad is sadly and conspicuously missing from the indictment. That is the charge of treason under Title 18, Part I, Chapter 115, § 2381 of the US Code.

Title 18, Part I, Chapter 115, § 2381. Treason

Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

The 30 year-old Faisal Shahzad moved from Pakistan to America 12 years ago, studied for and recieved his MBA here in America and, became a naturalized U.S. citizen in April 2009. Shahzad certainly owed allegiance to the US – in the truest sense of that word; he had a debt to America that he should have spent his life trying to pay off.

That’s apparently not how Shahzad saw things. He was seemingly more than happy to enjoy the freedoms and comforts of America but felt know loyalty to the people and nation who were gracious enough to allow him to join them. He chose instead to levy war against them, adhere to their enemies, and give those enemies aid. He chose the path of Muslim jihad.

So why hasn’t US Attorney General Eric Holder instructed the federal prosecutors in this case: Brendan McGuire, John Cronan, and Randall Jackson to include the charge of treason in the indictment? Why hasn’t President Obama instructed his boy, Holder to do so?

Both were quick to defend offering Faisal the protections under the law that even Shahzad deserved as a American citizen, but neither seems willing actually fully apply the law to him.

Trying, convicting, and executing the jihadi, Faisal Shahzad for treason would send a clear and strong message to America’s enemies, both within and without the borders of our country. I just hope that fact is not the reason why neither President Obama nor his Attorney General, Eric Holder want to do so.

It seems that the unelected, embattled, racist who currently fouls the New York State Executive Mansion in Albany, NY, David Paterson has an image problem. People keep referring to him by his first name instead of showing the “proper obeisance” and calling him by the unearned title of “Governor.”

It seems that, no matter what venue he is in, people keep referring to him as, “David,” though many quickly “correct” themselves afterward. Many just do not view Mr. Paterson as an especially elevated or intimidating figure.

This is something that bothers the political operatives that the DNC has provided to Paterson.

Being called David can undercut that improvement, and undermine his perceived authority. “I rarely hear the word governor. I always hear David,” said George Arzt, a campaign strategist who advises Democratic candidates in New York. “On the one hand, it’s charming, in a campaign sort of way, that he’s one of the people. On the other hand, it shows he’s not feared.”

What is important in Arzt’s lament is the use of “fear” instead of “respect.” Paterson’s campaign strategists have surrendered any thought of- or desire for the wildly unpopular Paterson to be respected by the people of New York; they’re wishing for him to be feared instead.

A man worthy of being called such desires respect, both for himself and for those things he supports.  A thug, deserving and having no respect for itself or its own agenda, desires to be feared.

It’s also a risky strategy. Americans aren’t cowards and have a tendency to rightfully “remove” things that cause them or their families fear. Paterson is blind; he’d never see the bullet.

Yet – the misbegotten mockery of mankind, Paterson, aside – isn’t such an attitude as George Arzt’s both indicative and typical of the attitude of the new misborn breed of Liberal that has usurped control of the Democrat party both in New York and across our beleaguered nation?

To govern a people requires mutual respect. But Americans have already seen that this new breed of Liberal – Statists who advance a diseased, anti-American, mongrel hybridization of Socialism and Italian Fascism – have little or no interest in governance; they desire to rule.