The recent arrest of Somali-born, Oregon teenager, Mohamed Osman Mohamud, is the latest in a trend of sting operations utilized by the FBI, which seeks to target Americans who are considered to be a high risk of carrying out violent acts on American soil. The arrest of Mohamed Osman Mohamud came after a year long investigation leading to an eventual sting operation, foiling what Mohamud perceived to be a plan to detonate a bomb at an Oregon Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The problem is, there was no bomb in the first place. In fact, the public was never in any immediate danger of being harmed. Despite what senior FBI Agent Arthur Balizan describes as "a very real threat," Mohamud, who believed he was in contact with Al Qaeda operatives who were helping him plan an attack, was actually speaking with FBI agents the entire time and at no time was he in contact with the terror organization.
Whether people consider these sting operations entrapment , or whether they consider them just, there are a few things that need to be considered.
One, it is fair to say that these types of operations are at best not helping American-Muslim relations, and at worst are helping to destroy them. Shortly after the arrest of Mohamud, the Mosque that he frequented was set ablaze in what local authorities are calling arson. It is quite the snowball effect when it comes to American-Muslim relations. A possible outcome is this: Man is caught in alleged terror plot. Targeted members of community become enraged and set fire to Mosque that most likely had nothing to do with Mohamud's radical behavior. This in turn leads to resentment and anger from the Muslim community as well as making it just that much easier for militant groups to recruit by spinning the whole operation as propaganda for a "American War on Islam".
Second, the resources, money, and man power needed for a year long operation is not cheap. At minimum this is hundred of thousands of dollars that are being spent on setting up a local youth who is, with the FBI's help, becoming a radicalized militant. Not to mention the man power it takes to conduct such an operation. Every one person working to set up a high risk individual is one less person working to combat people who actually have the means to carry out such an attack.
Lastly, while The FBI celebrates this sting operation, and arrest, as a victory, I am left only with the idea that with the hundred of thousands, if not millions of dollars being spent on setting up high risk individuals, and hundred of agents and analysts it takes to carry out such an operation. Is this money and man power well spent? Or could it possibly be spent in better places, such as stopping actual terrorist attacks like the one that almost happened in May.
Showing posts with label Terrorism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terrorism. Show all posts
02 December 2010
News Aggregation:
TOP STORY IN THE IDEA LOBBy
THE IDEA LOBBY
Hey TSA, Racial Profiling Doesn’t Work
Looking at the math behind profiling meant to nab terrorists, computer scientist William Press
realized it may be less effective than purely random sampling.
By Emily Badger - November 30, 2010
This is an interesting and timely examination of the TSA's security methods and America's approach to national security.
-jfoxwell
This is an interesting and timely examination of the TSA's security methods and America's approach to national security.
-jfoxwell
01 December 2010
Is "Terrorist" the new "Communist" ?
Whistleblowing site WikiLeaks' latest leak of hundreds of thousands of classified documents has led to immense condemnation from American law makers on both sides of the aisle. One congressman, Rep. Peter T. King (Rep-NY) even went as far as to send a formal letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In his letter Rep. King states his case in hopes of having Wikileaks.com labeled a Foreign Terrorist Organization. He asserts,
"From these acts, WikiLeaks appears to meet the legal criteria for FTO designation as a (1) a foreign organization; (2) engaging in terrorist activity or terrorism which (3) threatens the security of U.S. nationals or the national security of the United States. Specifically, pursuant to Section 212 (a)(3)(B) of INA (8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(B)) WikiLeaks engaged in terrorist activity by committing acts that it knew, or reasonably should have known, would afford material support for the commission of terrorist activity."
Is Wikileaks a terrorist organization as defined by the legal definition of FTO's?
U.S.C. Title 22, Chapter 38 defines it as "the term 'terrorism' means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents;"
U.S.C. Title 18 says, "involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State; [and] appear to be intended . . . to intimidate or coerce a civilian population"
These are just a few of the many definitions offered up by organizations and states who over the years have struggled to define such a complex act. The reason it is so difficult to define is because no two acts of terrorism are committed in the same way or for the same reasons. This is why there is no cookie cutter definition just as there is no single way to combat it. It is ever changing and as a result our definitions of the horrific acts of terrorism have continued to change. The term has become so loaded that it is reminiscent of how the word "Communist" was thrown around during the 1950's. We can now look back and say that while there were agents with a goal of spreading Communism in The United States, most of the people labeled as "Communist" were only done so because they were disliked or seen as a threat, regardless of where their political ideologies laid. Is Julian Assange and Wikileaks an enemy of The United States Government? Absolutely, and probably could be convicted on behalf of the Espionage Act. But to label Wikileaks a terrorist organization is to skew the already loaded word and possibly even make it more difficult to define and ultimately combat true terrorism. Is Wikileaks a terrorist organization? Whatever your opinion, I'm sure there is a definition out there to support your position.
"From these acts, WikiLeaks appears to meet the legal criteria for FTO designation as a (1) a foreign organization; (2) engaging in terrorist activity or terrorism which (3) threatens the security of U.S. nationals or the national security of the United States. Specifically, pursuant to Section 212 (a)(3)(B) of INA (8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(B)) WikiLeaks engaged in terrorist activity by committing acts that it knew, or reasonably should have known, would afford material support for the commission of terrorist activity."
Yes.... and no. Breaking down the answer we see that in order to be classified as a FTO, the suspect in question must fulfill a criteria including three characteristics. First, is it a foreign organization? By the sites own emission it is.
"Wikileaks was founded by Chinese dissidents, journalists, mathematicians and startup company technologists, from the US, Taiwan, Europe, Australia and South Africa."
The second characteristic it must fulfill in order to be classified a FTO is, does the group engage in terrorist activity or terrorism?
This is where the things start to get hazy. What is terrorism?
The League of Nations defined terrorism in 1937 as "criminal acts directed against a State and intended or calculated to create a state of terror in the minds of particular persons or a group of persons or the general public"
The dictator led National Reorganization Process of late 1970's Argentina definied terrorism as "not only who sets bombs and carry guns, but also those who spread ideas opposite to christian and western civilization"
India's Supreme Court defined terrorism in 2003 as "peacetime equivalents of war crimes."
Our own government has had an equally difficult time defining the term as illustrated by the fact that it is written in to multiple laws."Wikileaks was founded by Chinese dissidents, journalists, mathematicians and startup company technologists, from the US, Taiwan, Europe, Australia and South Africa."
The second characteristic it must fulfill in order to be classified a FTO is, does the group engage in terrorist activity or terrorism?
This is where the things start to get hazy. What is terrorism?
The League of Nations defined terrorism in 1937 as "criminal acts directed against a State and intended or calculated to create a state of terror in the minds of particular persons or a group of persons or the general public"
The dictator led National Reorganization Process of late 1970's Argentina definied terrorism as "not only who sets bombs and carry guns, but also those who spread ideas opposite to christian and western civilization"
India's Supreme Court defined terrorism in 2003 as "peacetime equivalents of war crimes."
U.S.C. Title 22, Chapter 38 defines it as "the term 'terrorism' means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents;"
U.S.C. Title 18 says, "involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State; [and] appear to be intended . . . to intimidate or coerce a civilian population"
These are just a few of the many definitions offered up by organizations and states who over the years have struggled to define such a complex act. The reason it is so difficult to define is because no two acts of terrorism are committed in the same way or for the same reasons. This is why there is no cookie cutter definition just as there is no single way to combat it. It is ever changing and as a result our definitions of the horrific acts of terrorism have continued to change. The term has become so loaded that it is reminiscent of how the word "Communist" was thrown around during the 1950's. We can now look back and say that while there were agents with a goal of spreading Communism in The United States, most of the people labeled as "Communist" were only done so because they were disliked or seen as a threat, regardless of where their political ideologies laid. Is Julian Assange and Wikileaks an enemy of The United States Government? Absolutely, and probably could be convicted on behalf of the Espionage Act. But to label Wikileaks a terrorist organization is to skew the already loaded word and possibly even make it more difficult to define and ultimately combat true terrorism. Is Wikileaks a terrorist organization? Whatever your opinion, I'm sure there is a definition out there to support your position.
