Nigerian terrorist, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, appeared in Federal Court today and entered a plea of “not guilty” to the six charges filed against him earlier this week for his thwarted terrorist attack waged on Christmas Day. Many will be offended when they hear the news of this “not guilty” plea, and I would encourage each and every one of them to immediately reevaluate their feelings on the use of military tribunals for hearing these cases. For all those Americans convinced that this is the best way to show the world that we are a “Just” nation, you asked for this. I think the only message that this will send is that we are a “foolish” nation so committed to “appearances” that we will jeopardize the safety of all Americans just to make a token political statement – that no one will listen to.
Does anyone really believe that fundamentalist jihadists are sitting in their wigwams, grasshuts, lean-to’s, and caveshells thinking about what a “Just” nation we are because we are trying the “underwear bomber” in a Federal Court? Are they going to suddenly denounce their fundamentalist fatwā and lay down their arms because we allowed the terrorist wannabe to have a hearing in open court? The answer’s a resounding no. Their fundamentalist jihadists. We could put him on a plane home tomorrow and they’d still try to blow it up.
The reality here is that the nutjob has every right to plead not guilty. He has the Right to lawyer up, and he has the Right to not utter a single word. We have bestowed upon him the Rights we afford to every citizen of this nation and now we have to live with the repercussions of that. This happens to be one of them. The next will be the plea deal that the administration and the Justice Department will undoubtedly sign off on allowing a man that attempted to murder nearly 300 Americans to spend his golden years in his native country as a hero. But for you Lefties, I guess that’s better than putting him before the firing squad and making him a martyr though – isn’t it?
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab said little during a federal court hearing that lasted less than five minutes. The 23-year-old, who wore a white T-shirt, tennis shoes and light olive pants, said “yes” in English when asked if understood the charges against him.
A grand jury indicted Abdulmutallab on six charges earlier this week. The most severe carries up to life in prison — the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.
During Friday’s hearing, Abdulmutallab stood at the podium along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tukel and defense attorney Miriam Siefer and answered a few questions from Magistrate Judge Mark A. Randon.
