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Sentencing of Richard Reid (The Shoe Bomber)(USA January 2003)
International Christian Concern ^ | January 30, 2003

Posted on 02/09/2004 6:46:01 PM PST by miltonim

ICC Note: While this is not explicitly about persecution, it does play into the issue and highlights one main point. Mr. Reid said at his sentencing, "(my) allegiance (is) to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah, I think I ought not apologize for my actions," and told the court "I am at war with your country."

This highlights what we at ICC deal with on a daily basis. That is, that there is an undeclared war between radical Islam and the West, and Christians are often at the front lines of that war. President Bush and others spout the line about Islam being a religion of peace for political and geo-political/strategic reasons. We understand the reasoning behind these efforts but it keeps the average person in ignorance about the nature of Islam and it's effects on the people around the globe.

In Indonesia, radical Islam trained thousands of locals for Jihad (Koranic war) against the Christians. The result? 10,000 Christians murdered in the last 5 years, 80,000 homes burned down, 1,000 Churches burned down.

Wherever Islam rules or is the dominant culture in a country there will be persecution in that country.

Remember the guy who got on a plane with a bomb built into his shoe and tried to light it? His name if you remember was Richard Reid. Did you know his trial is over? Did you know he was sentenced? Did you see/hear any of the judge's comments on TV/Radio?

Prior to sentencing, the Judge asked the defendant if he had anything to say. His response: After admitting his guilt to the court for the record, Reid also admitted his "allegiance to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah," defiantly stated "I think I ought not apologize for my actions," and told the court "I am at war with your country."

Judge Young then delivered the statement quoted below, a stinging condemnation of Reid in particular and terrorists in general.

January 30, 2003, United States vs. Reid.

Let me explain this to you. We are not afraid of you or 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 species of criminal guilty of multiple attempted murders. In a very real sense, State Trooper Santiago 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 your self 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 discreetly. 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 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.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: intimidation; islam; mohammedans; muslims; oppression; persecution; religiouscleansing; richardreid; shoebomber; terror; terrortrials
Muhammad-inspired persecution of Christians, Jews and all non-Muslims continues...

Mohammed, The Mad Poet Quoted....
1 posted on 02/09/2004 6:46:06 PM PST by miltonim
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To: miltonim
I wonder how long it will takw for the ABA to threaten to have this judge censured??

If he had used the word 'GOD' the verdict might be overturned because the ACLU would have gotten involved, if it hasn't already...

In other words, the judge is right.

2 posted on 02/09/2004 7:16:12 PM PST by GeronL (www.ArmorforCongress.com ............... Support a FReeper for Congress)
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