Real Judge vs. Activist Judge (You make the call)

Ruling by Judge William Young – A Real Judge

U.S. District Court Judge William Young made the following statement in sentencing "shoe bomber" Richard Reid to prison. It is noteworthy, and deserves to be remembered far longer than he predicts. I commend it to you and to anyone you might wish to forward it to.
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January 30, 2003 United States vs. Reid. Judge Young: Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you.
On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General.
On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutive with the other. That's 80 years.
On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years consecutive to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 for the aggregate fine of $2 million.
The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines.
The Court imposes upon you the $800 special assessment.
The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no further.
This is the sentence that is provided for by our statues. It is a fair and just sentence. It is a righteous sentence. Let me explain this to you.
We are not afraid of any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been through the fire before. There is all too much war talk here. And I say that to everyone with the utmost respect.
Here in this court , where we deal with individuals as individuals, and care for individuals as individuals, as human beings we reach out for justice, you are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist. To give you that reference, to call you a soldier gives you far too much stature. Whether it is the officers of government who do it or your attorney who does it, or that happens to be your view, you are a terrorist.
And we do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not treat with terrorists. We do not sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice.
So war talk is way out of line in this court. You are a big fellow. But you are not that big. You're no warrior. I know warriors. You are a terrorist. A species of criminal guilty of multiple attempted murders.
In a very real sense Trooper Santigo had it right when you first were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and where the TV crews were and he said you're no big deal. You're no big deal.
What your counsel, what your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific. What was it that led you here to this courtroom today? I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing. And I have an answer for you. It may not satisfy you. But as I search this entire record it comes as close to understanding as I know.
It seems to me you hate the one thing that is most precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose.
Here, in this society, the very winds carry freedom. They carry it everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly see that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely.
It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf and have filed appeals, will go on in their, their representation of you before other judges. We are about it. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties. Make no mistake though. It is yet true that we will bear any burden, pay any price, to preserve our freedoms.
Look around this courtroom. Mark it well. The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. Day after tomorrow it will be forgotten. But this, however, will long endure. Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America, the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done.
The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged, and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice.
See that flag, Mr. Reid? That's the flag of the United States of America. That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag stands for freedom. You know it always will.
Custody Mr. Officer. Stand him down.

Report on ruling by Judge John C. Coughenour – An Activist Judge

Jul 28, 9:40 AM (ET)
By GENE JOHNSON

SEATTLE (AP) - The sentence itself was fairly straightforward: An Algerian man received 22 years for plotting to bomb the Los Angeles airport on the eve of the millennium. It was what the judge said in imposing the term that raised eyebrows.
U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said the successful prosecution of Ahmed Ressam should serve not only as a warning to terrorists, but as a statement to the Bush administration about its terrorism-fighting tactics.
"We did not need to use a secret military tribunal, detain the defendant indefinitely as an enemy combatant or deny the defendant the right to counsel," he said Wednesday. "The message to the world from today's sentencing is that our courts have not abandoned our commitment to the ideals that set our nation apart."
He added that the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks have made Americans realize they are vulnerable to terrorism and that some believe "this threat renders our Constitution obsolete ... If that view is allowed to prevail, the terrorists will have won."
Critics of the Bush administration - mostly human-rights groups and Democrats - have long accused the U.S. government of unjustly detaining terror suspects at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba, as well as a small number of American citizens who have been designated enemy combatants.
U.S. Attorney John McKay said he agreed with the judge's comments that U.S. courts are equipped to handle terrorism cases. He would not comment on the judge's criticism of military tribunals and the handling of enemy combatants.
The comments were only the latest surprise in a terrorism case that began on the eve of the millennium when Ressam was arrested as he drove off a ferry from British Columbia with 124 pounds of bomb-making materials. Prosecutors said he had attended terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and was intent on bombing Los Angeles International Airport.
Facing up to 130 years in prison after being convicted of terrorist conspiracy and explosives charges in 2001, Ressam began cooperating with authorities in hopes of winning a reduced sentence. He told investigators from several countries about the operation of terrorist camps and disclosed the identities of potential terrorists, the use of safe houses and other details.
Ressam's information was given to anti-terrorism field agents around the world - in one case, helping to prevent the mishandling and potential detonation of the shoe bomb that Richard Reid attempted to blow up aboard an American Airlines flight in 2001.
Coughenour has called the information Ressam provided "startlingly helpful."
"It is a flat fact that law enforcement, the public and public safety have benefited in countless ways" from Ressam's cooperation, defense lawyer Thomas Hillier said.
However, prosecutors said Ressam put their cases against his alleged millennium bombing co-conspirators in jeopardy when he stopped cooperating with the government in 2003, citing the stress of solitary confinement.
Prosecutors insist that without his testimony they will have to drop charges against Abu Doha and Samir Ait Mohamed. Both men are awaiting extradition to the United States - Doha in Britain, Mohamed in Canada. McKay said that aside from immigration violations, he did not know what charges officials in Europe or Canada might pursue against them.
"It means that two other individuals who we believe to be dangerous will not be prosecuted in this country," said McKay, who was seeking a 35-year sentence for Ressam.
During the hearing, Coughenour unexpectedly called Andy Hamilton, a former assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted Ressam at trial, from the courtroom gallery to give a sentencing recommendation.
After noting that Ressam's sentence would be "perhaps the most important sentence this court has ever had," Hamilton told the judge that Ressam's reluctance to cooperate further should weigh heavily.
"You can't be a cooperator and a terrorist," he said. "When he stopped cooperating, he went back to being what he was."
Ressam did not speak in court, but provided a short written statement in which he thanked the judge, renounced violence of any kind and apologized for his actions, Hillier said.
With credit for time served and three years off for good behavior, Ressam could be out of prison in 14 years.


Note the way the message ended with Judge William Young and the way the article ended with Judge John C. Coughenour. One terrorist goes away for life and the other could be back on the streets in 14 years. In my book… a plea-bargain with terrorist is going too far. You don’t cut deals with them and you definitely don’t allow activist Judges to release them back into society for ‘good behavior’. Terrorist like Ressam and Reid had every intention of killing as many Americans as they possibly could. While Judge William Young seemed to understand this…Judge John C.Coughenour saw it more important to admonish the US Government for fighting the terrorist as enemy combatants and not as common criminals. If you can see a stark contrast between these two rulings then you can see why the placement of Judges is a vital and their rulings should be scrutinized at every level.

AZ

War of the Worlds: "Islam is a message of war" Says radical cleric

Speaking 15 days after bombers killed over 50 people in London and a day after a series of failed attacks on the city's transport network, Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed said the British capital should expect more violence.

Militant Islamists will continue to attack Britain until the government pulls its troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, says Bakri.

"If the cause is still there the effect will happen again and again," he said, adding he had no information about future attacks or contacts with people planning to carry out attacks.
Bakri, a Syrian-born cleric who has been vilified in Britain since 2001 when he praised the September 11 hijackers, said he did not believe the bombings and attempted attacks on London were carried out by British Muslims.

In an interview with Reuters, Bakri described Osama bin Laden, leader of the radical Islamist network al Qaeda, as "a sincere man who fights against evil forces." Wnd when asked about Islamist attacks on British and U.S. troops and on Israelis, he said: "If violence is pro-life I don't condemn it."

Bakri said that Islam is "a message of peace for those who want to live with the Muslims in peace but Islam is a message of war for those who declare war against Muslims."

Bakri's rhetoric peaked when he stated, "I would like to see the Islamic flag fly, not only over number 10 Downing Street, but over the whole world."

His hate speach has dubbed him, "The Tottenham Ayatollah" after the area of north London in which he lives, he has infuriated many Britons with his firebrand speeches and refusal to condemn suicide bombings.

The Islamo Fascist enemies of free societies understand the war they've created, when will we understand that we need to fight to protect our way of life from the likes of them?

American Zulu

Contributors:
Gideon Long - Reuters

War of the Worlds:Father of 9/11 hijacker warns of 50-year war

The father of one of the September 11 hijackers said today he had no sorrow for what had happened in London and claimed more terrorist attacks would follow.

Egyptian Mohamed el-Amir, whose son Mohamed Atta commandeered the first plane that crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York, said there was a double standard in the way the world viewed the victims in London and victims in the Islamic world.

El-Amir said the attacks in the US and the July 7 attacks in Britain were the beginning of what would be a 50-year religious war, in which there would be many more fighters like his son.

Speaking to a CNN producer in his apartment in the upper-middle-class Cairo suburb of Giza, he declared that terror cells around the world were a "nuclear bomb that has now been activated and is ticking".

Cursing in Arabic, el-Amir also denounced Arab leaders and Muslims who condemned the London attacks as being traitors and non-Muslims.

He passionately vowed that he would do anything within his power to encourage more attacks.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=356444&in_page_id=1811

My sincere apologies to the family of Mr. Berg for using this picture to portray the evil that has befallen our society. The act of barbarism and callous evil is captured by their own camera as they "praise" their god while recording their actions for training purposes. We are at war and our lives and our way of life is at stake. Until we understand how evil our enemy is we will never be rid of them and their warped ideology.

American Zulu

Senator Schumer shifts legislative powers to Supreme Court

While I wouldn't begin to contend that Schumer is 'today' making such a monumentally flawed political move, his words tonight following President Bush's nomination to the Supreme Court - judge John G. Roberts Jr., revealed a great deal as to how the liberals and the politically impotent obstructionist of the democratic party see the role of the Supreme Court.

Schumer, who made it clear he voted against Roberts when nominated for the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, never bothered to mention that he was one of only three senators IN THE ENTIRE SENATE who voted against Roberts' nomination to the appeals court.

Durbin ~ the man who likened our troops to Nazi death camp soldiers,

and

Kennedy ~ the man who believes the war in Iraq is unnecessary and has only caused more dangers,

aren't the best character references if you ask me.

Following the Presidents introduction/nomination of Roberts, Sen.. Lehey and Sen. Schumer maintained their tantrums and made their veiled threats of lengthening the process (saying months not weeks) and insisting that Roberts answer probing questions regarding his personal political and religious views.

But what struck me most was Schumer's comments when he was stating the role of the Supreme Court. Schumer said that the Supreme Court 'Makes the law'. This is a fundamental change from our three party system and the balance of power established by our founding fathers. Giving the Judicial branch the authority to 'make law' makes the role of the President subjective to both branches of government; laws can be 'legalized' without any veto power from the president.

President Bush described the role of a Justice of the Supreme Court this way:

"(a Supreme Court Justice needs to) strictly apply the Constitution and the laws, not legislate from the bench."

The contrast couldn't be greater. Schumer's words, however, will resonate with those anti-war zealots, left-wing liberals, and obstructionist of the civil process and they will echo and amplify the 'concerns' of the 'American People'. As they amplify their concerns and justify their protests just remember how the leaders of their political group viewed the role of the Supreme Court...

'They make the Law.'

American Zulu

Islamic Terrorist Sleeper Cells awake from their hibernation

The grassroots campaign to educate, train, and arm radical Islamic terrorist has been a slow and going process that has placed potential attackers of freedom across the globe. ‘Sleeper Cells’ as they are known, are becoming restless. Since 9/11 there hasn’t been an attack on US soil but the attacks continue none-the-less. The bombing in Madrid and more recently the bombing in London has revealed patterns within the Al Qaeda network that shows the placement of ‘operatives’ in universities and other industries that would enable them to continue their terror against the innocent.

Magdy el-Nashar, an Egyptian Scientist, who has been a ‘person of interest’ by both the FBI and the London authorities, was captured recently by Egyptian authorities in Cairo. Magdy has patiently honed his craft by attending Universities such as North Carolina State in the US where he studied chemical engineering and Leeds University in London where he conducted biochemical research.

Magdy el-Nashar’s connection with the homicide terrorist bombers in London shows that Al Qaeda has the patience of Job when it comes to training and recruiting the right candidates to perform their horrific deeds. The Scotland Yard has reported that each of the 4 bombers had backpacks full of what they considered ‘military grade’ explosives. The packs weighed no more than 10 lbs each. The training of el-Nashar is not an isolated occurrence.

Hamid Hayat, a Pakistani Muslim with US citizenship admitted to the FBI that he attended an Al Qaeda training camp in 2003 and 2004. He had returned to the US and along with his father began to establish a terrorist cell in Northern California. Hayat admitted that some of their potential targets were large grocery stores and hospitals.

As we approach the 4th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks the ‘Sleeper Cells’ appear to be awakening. Combine this with the poor security along our Southern Border and this writer can’t help but to wonder if more (terror) is to come. Our enemy has placed young men into schools and business that will enable them to hurt us from within our own borders. They have taken extreme care to educate and recruit individuals like el-Nashar who are able to build the devices needed to attack our infrastructure with the aim of destabilizing our government. They don’t have to import the materials needed because they have trained people to build them from materials freely available in our society.

They have taken their time to train and prepare for their next attack. But is biochemical science their only field of study? Or should we look into nuclear physics and other areas of training to expose our enemy’s plans for our destruction? This war is long from over and our vigilance is necessary in order to achieve victory and to prevent the next horrific attack against innocent people.

AmericanZulu

War of the Worlds

It has become apparent that those against the US action in the war on terror are living in denial and they refuse to acknowledge the true circumstances we face in the 21st century. The world of Islamo Fascism has collided with the modern world and though we will survive this attack on civilization, many innocent people will die because we have allowed the world of liberal relative correctness to weaken our resolve to hold fast to what we know to be true; Mankind should be free.

In the wake of the terror bombings in London we have seen the inane concepts of political correct pacifism move the BBC to not even acknowledge that the bombings in their rail system was a terrorist act. While the liberal-politically-correct-non-offensive-passive-civilized countries are bending over backwards trying to not offend those in the Islamic community who won't openly condemn these attacks, their lieutenants are responding in this manner:

By Gregory Crouch The New York TimesWEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2005


AMSTERDAM A young Muslim man broke his self-imposed silence in court here on Tuesday and coolly accepted responsibility for the brutal slaying of a controversial Dutch filmmaker, adding that he would do it all over again if given the chance. Shaken by Theo van Gogh's horrific death he was shot last November at least six times before his throat was slashed the Dutch heard for the first time Tuesday the voice of his assailant, who spoke of the murder in the same matter-of-fact manner as some eyewitnesses say it was executed.

Muhammad Bouyeri, the 27-year-old son of Moroccan immigrants, showed no remorse to the court or to the victim's family, saying he killed van Gogh based on his religious beliefs. "I acted out of conviction and not out of hate," Bouyeri told the court. "If I'm ever released, I'd do the same again. Exactly the same." He added that

In a moment of courtroom drama, Bouyeri addressed Anneke van Gogh, the victim's mother, who made an emotional statement about the personal and political impact of the loss of her son when the trial opened on Monday. "I don't feel your pain," Bouyeri told her. "I don't know what it's like to lose a child that was brought into this world with so much pain and tears. I realize that my attitude is very confrontational for you and others. I hope that you will derive some comfort from the maximum sentence."

Prosecutors had just asked a three-judge panel to sentence Bouyeri to life in prison. ''The accused preaches a message of hate and violence,'' a prosecutor, Frits van Straelen, told the court. ''He preaches that anyone who thinks differently can be killed." Van Gogh, along with the Somalian-born Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali, made a short but provocative film last year about the abuse of Muslim women that resulted in death threats against both of them after it aired on Dutch television.

Bouyeri entered court Monday with a copy of the Koran and refused all comment beyond a brief invocation of Allah in Arabic. Prosecutors then tried to break down his resolve to remain silent, accusing him at one point of being a coward, too afraid to speak up. Their techniques appear to have worked — once he broke his silence, Bouyeri spoke for some minutes. Originally, Bouyeri had tried to boycott the entire trial, refusing to attend the proceedings until a court order forced him to do so. A formal verdict and sentencing are expected on July 26. After killing van Gogh, Bouyeri left a five-page note pinned to the body. It quoted the Koran and was addressed to Hirsi Ali. She went into hiding for several weeks after the killing. (emphasis mine)

We are at WAR and until we understand this more innocent people will die. It is our responsibility to protect our families, our properties, our land, and our way of life. Islamo Fascist and the terrorist butchers who do their bidding are our enemy and we need to protect ourselves from their seditious ways.

Wake up world!

There's a war going on!

American Zulu