Cosmic Iguana - Voice of the Evil Doers

JOSE PADILLA'S THOUGHT CRIMES

Jose Padilla's case is significant for many reasons, but one that is often ignored is that he apparently DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. He never possessed any "dirty bomb", he is accused of simply "planning" to possess one.

On what evidence that charge is made we simply do not know. His attorney may not know either, she hasn't been allowed to meet with him since two weeks after his arrest 18 months ago. Yesterday's court decision may change that if it is not reversed by the Supreme Court. But at this point the case is essentially this: that the US government may arrest a US citizen, make up a reason and hold him without trial or access to an attorney for as long as they want.

Remember the circumstances: During the week of May 25, 2002 Colleen Frawley of the Minneapolis FBI was alleging that the FBI headquarters failed to pursue evidence that could have prevented the 9-11 catastrophe. Out of nowhere, John Ashcroft interrupts his trip to France to announce that the FBI arrested a “dirty bomber”.

In fact, he had been in custody for 3 weeks without any charges being filed.

Was he guilty of that, or was he a pawn in the Administration attempt to cover up their greatest scandal?

The fact that they refused to let him meet with any attorney is suggestive of the latter. There is no imaginable security or other risk to allowing him access to a court appointed attorney. The excuse that his attorney might “tip off” the other “terrorists” can hardly be valid now after 18 months.

This case is not about Presidential ability to wage war, or about the war on terror, but about the government to pluck a US citizen off an airline or the streets and hold him incommunicado for years without charges or access to a lawyer simply because it wants to.

If the Bush Administration succeeds in their appeal, it will mean that they have the ability to arrest anyone at any time and hold them as long as they want for any reason they make up so long as it sounds scary. That is the precedent this case sets whether Jose Padilla is guilty of anything or not.