title says it all. I'll be honest and admit that I don't know much about al Qaeda's stated purpose, but I find it hard not to think that being a membre is a "crime." By that, I am thinking along these lines:

we capture a guy who admits to being a member of al Qaeda. We find out he's not really done anything wrong or that we can't directly connect him to anything wrong. what do we do? do we set him free an send him back to his country so he can plot attacks against the US? do we keep him at Gitmo indefinitely?

truly, what do we do w/ a member of any terrorist organization?

2/10/2006 11:02:19 PM

Probably should interview him. If we held him his cohorts might stage a hostage situation in return, to try to get an exchange. If nothing comes of our holding him for questioning, and he hasn't done anything, he should be released. It's a sticky situation, because if we find out he's just bluffing, and isn't a member, then it's probably fine. But if he's serious, and remotely active, he is a threat. I wonder if we should try to get more information out of him, but the problem is that anyone can claim to be a member of al Qaeda, because although it has a general "leader" that they all look up to, that "leader" doesn't organize all of the attacks. He'll kind of influence. bin Laden had a lot of charisma and leadership, so it was easy for him to recruit and convince Muslims to form hatred toward others. So the person may not know where any "leaders" are, or any big attack plans.

al Qaeda's sole purpose is to kill everyone that does not follow their militant Muslim beliefs. They are pretty focused on the west, Jews, other peaceful Muslims, and mostly on the US.

2/10/2006 11:17:42 PM

we let people be members of the KKK don't we?

2/10/2006 11:23:58 PM

Are they plotting against blacks and carrying through with those plans?

2/10/2006 11:32:25 PM

i dunno

i'm not a member

2/10/2006 11:33:42 PM

Quote :

"we let people be members of the KKK don't we?"

Yeah.

But those people are white.

2/10/2006 11:37:57 PM

Violence isn't and admitted part of the KKK's philosophy anymore, and when people do commit crimes in their name, they are disowned. However, skinheads and other gangs are violent groups that would be analogous to terrorist organizations.

2/10/2006 11:42:27 PM

don't we hold people without charging them in this country?

2/11/2006 12:25:51 AM

Yeah.

Cuz fuck the constitution, that's why.

2/11/2006 12:44:15 AM

It shouldn't be a crime simply to be a member of al Qaeda. But it also shouldn't be terribly difficult to show that by some aspect of your membership you knowingly and tangibly supported illegal activities and are thus complicit in them.

2/11/2006 1:42:37 AM

Agreed.

btw, I wonder what would happen if somebody tried to run as an al qaeda candidate in an American election?

2/11/2006 1:47:12 AM

they'd probably be about as succesful as someone running under the green party

2/11/2006 1:47:51 AM

No, because nobody's lynched any Green Party folks yet, and I gaurantee you that asshole would be dead inside of 48 hours.

2/11/2006 1:50:02 AM

if you are in al qaeda you are an enemy of the US and should be killed.


kindof like in that movie Tombstone, when Wyatt Earp declares that the cowboys are to be disbanded, and anyone wearing the red sash will get shot.

same concept.

2/11/2006 3:09:19 AM

It's a crime prosecuted solely in the court of public opinion. If you've performed any activities that were directly part of a terrorist plot--Al Qaeda member or no, then you've engaged in a real crime.

2/11/2006 3:22:48 AM

Quote :

"It shouldn't be a crime simply to be a member of al Qaeda. But it also shouldn't be terribly difficult to show that by some aspect of your membership you knowingly and tangibly supported illegal activities and are thus complicit in them."

I guess that raises another interesting question, then: what makes you a "member" of al qaeda?

2/11/2006 3:39:56 AM

A record of your payment of dues and your membership card. Duh.

2/11/2006 3:48:33 AM

There'd probably be a difference if the person was a US citizen or not.

If the person was a US citizen -- they'd be afforded their constitutional rights. It's a pretty slippery slope to start denying somebody their rights and due process just because they're allegedly part of a certain group (no implication in actual wrong-doing).

If the person was a foreign national, I'd support summary execution if current membership could be confirmed.

2/11/2006 3:02:52 PM

Quote :

"kindof like in that movie Tombstone, when Wyatt Earp declares that the cowboys are to be disbanded, and anyone wearing the red sash will get shot."

you know

i was just thinking how there isn't enough revenge and frontier justice in our government these days...

2/11/2006 5:27:56 PM

Hahahahahahhahairaqhahhahahaaaafghanistanahahahahaahha

2/11/2006 5:52:28 PM

and then lets say there was an Al Qaeda political party that found themselves holding a majority of seats in some country...

thankfully our president knows better than to use diplomacy.

2/12/2006 2:31:13 AM

it may not be a crime, but it sure as hell isn't something I would advertise.

2/12/2006 3:34:14 AM