Update:Criminals-not enemy combatants? Governor tells mayor:ignore the law (Corzine on Fort Dix Six)

Renew America ^ | 05.12.07 | Wes Vernon

[Coleus]

Let's see if we have this straight.

1 — Six terrorists right here on U.S. soil plot to kill American soldiers. Those are the charges.

2 — Thankfully, they were nabbed by the FBI in a sting operation.

3 — Three of the alleged terrorists are illegal aliens. Nonetheless, we cannot treat any of the six as enemy combatants. We must go through the criminal justice system, the same system that is available to a masked bandit who knocks off a 7-Eleven.  By any standard, that is nothing short of outrageous. Late Wednesday, this column pointed out that no one had asked the White House whether the Ft. Dix (New Jersey) Six would be charged as criminals or enemy combatants.

We now have the answer

At a White House briefing, Human Events Political Editor John Gizzi put that inquiry to presidential spokesman Tony Snow, who replied, "That is not a question for me. Direct it to the U.S. Attorney [in the case]."   Greg Reinert, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie told Gizzi he didn't know why the six were charged as criminals, but that it "came from higher ups," suggesting the "higher ups" meant the FBI.  It appears that in order to qualify as "enemy combatants," the accused must have been captured outside the United States. If that is the law, it must be changed.

The investigation

The six accused terrorists are charged with planning a heavily armed attack against soldiers at Ft. Dix as part of a jihad against the United States. The accused were identified as Dritan Duka, Eljvir Duka, Shain Duka, Serdar Tatar, Mohammed Shnewer, and Agron Abdullahu.   The Dukas were illegal aliens, and that raises all kinds of questions. All three of them have multiple arrest records. However, at no time have they ever been charged with immigration violations — not until they were nabbed in this jihad plot against the United States.

The record

Blogger Enlighten New Jersey has done some digging:

Dritan Duka has been arrested for disorderly conduct and possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Between 1997 and 2006, he was stopped by police 11 times for speeding.

Shain Duka has been charged with obstruction of justice, hindering apprehension and making physical threats. He was repeatedly stopped by police and had 19 suspensions of his license.

Eljvir Duka has past drug counts and 24 suspensions of his driving permit. The state tagged him as a persistent violator.

And with all this, never — until now — were any of them charged with being here illegally, nor were they deported. Why?

Ask the "compassionate" governor

The Newark Star-Ledger reports that New Jersey's speed demon governor, Jon Corzine, is out front as a staunch opponent of the federal Homeland Security program that makes it legally possible for state and local enforcement to work with the feds to identify and detail immigration violators. Congratulations, Governor. New Jersey's estimated illegal alien population is now at 1 million. But then when you tell your driver to floor it to 91 MPH in a 55 MPH zone, what's a measly million illegals — three of whom plot mass murder? Of course, you could say that killing soldiers qualifies as one of those "jobs Americans won't do."

And that's not all

Corzine also has chastised the city of Morristown in his state because that municipality wants to enforce federal immigration laws. Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello told the governor — in so many words — to buzz off.  Another New Jersey jurisdiction — Hightstown — has enacted a no-questions asked policy on immigration. Hightstown Mayor Robert Patten thinks his community would be a ghost town without illegal aliens.

The problem — twofold

First, after our last column a couple of days ago, a friend of mine in Montana said the Ft. Dix Six "are the enemy and should be summarily shot." Emotionally, I understand that reaction. But the law — at least as interpreted — does not even allow them (the three "legals" or the three illegals) to be treated as enemy combatants, let alone be "summarily shot." As it stands, the law — forged pre-9/11 — needs to be changed. As currently interpreted, it gives new meaning to the saying "The law is an ass." The solution is to change it, not ignore it.  Secondly, once again, we have had a wake-up call on the broader issue of illegal immigration. Do we have to wait until a jihad against our military personnel succeeds before politicians like Corzine make a distinction between a law and "a complex issue" (as he describes the immigration statutes)?

[Eyes Unclouded]

Yea... so at least I'll have plenty of names in my story to my children about how the republic fell.

[c-b 1]

Yea... so at least I'll have plenty of names in my story to my children about how the republic fell was intentionally destroyed from within.

[common tater]

Just one more reason to add to the many that caused me to move away from the dungheap that is NEW JERSEY.

[caddie]

There is so much wrong with this story:

The clueless FBI and CIA Clouseaus had to be told about the Jihidis duplicating a video of them during terrorist training. Credit the convenience store clerk, NOT the FBI or CIA for being the dragnet that caught these guys. The FBI is too busy zeroing in on Medicare fraud. The CIA, on Disney copyright infringement worldwide.

A$$wipes not deporting these guys after having so many offenses that it is strange that they were not lifers from some NJ 'habitual offender' law.

A$$wipe governor pandering to the PC liberals in NJ lets this happen.

Stupid not to treat these people as enemy combatants. Worse, as enemy combatants not in uniform.

Shoot them as spies after a secret military tribunal.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Identifying them as “enemy combatants” would require actually naming the enemy. No one wants to do that. It’s possibly discriminatory...and maybe even mean. ;)

[raftguide]

The enemy is at the gate and the Dems ignore the threat. When they are not able to ignore it anymore, they will then make it look like it was the Reps that were not minding the store. Such is their propaganda...

[MHGinTN]

And the media whores nor their demigods in the democrat party will care a whit how many citizens are slaughtered in the empowerment scheme of aiding and abetting the enemy. One can only hope that many if not most of the democrat leadership is touched personally by the slaughtering that they have invited from our enemies. Perhaps then they will actually give a damn that they are aiding the enemy.

[OKIEDOC]

Corzine is one of those liberals who have more money than common sense.

He like most progressive thinking liberal politicians believe that laws are only for those considered to be beneath them or commoners otherwise known as conservatives, Christians and the totally uneducated masses that pay their sorry salaries.

Had there been a massacre at Fort Dix then Governor Corzine would have been the first one to point fingers at the government.

Sort of like that lap dog of a governor did in Kansas after the tornado that hit Greensberg.

[Twink]

I currently live in NJ, Cherry Hill area. I moved here from Philly. We considered it a step up at the time or at least I did considering I grew up in Philly. We’ve lived here for 15 years now and we can’t wait until the youngest graduates high school in 9 years so we can move.

[Louis Foxwell]

...we can’t wait until the youngest graduates high school in 9 years so we can move.Nor should you wait. Unless you are employing sarc and your child is a HS Jr. his 3 grade classmates will not be missed. There is a sweet community (actually several) on the Eastern Shore of MD just waiting for you.

[Louis Foxwell]

...we can’t wait until the youngest graduates high school in 9 years so we can move.

Nor should you wait. Unless you are employing sarc and your child is a HS Jr. his 3 grade classmates will not be missed. There is a sweet community (actually several) on the Eastern Shore of MD just waiting for you.

[James W. Fannin]

http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/muslimlife/immigrat.htm "Patterns of Muslim Immigration"
At your nation's usinfo.state.gov web site.

Let's bring more!

[Tennessee Nana]

“Shain Duka and had 19 suspensions of his license”

Tellme...How does this happen ...19 times..when the illegal alien has no license?

Was it an “illegal license”?

Was he an “undocumeted driver”?

Is he a member of a favored class of people?

Is discrimination against the American citizens being condoned by the local LE and government in NJ?

Calling the good folks in Farmers Branch, TX....

[Tennessee Nana]

You’re not packed yet?

[raftguide]

“Perhaps then they will actually give a damn that they are aiding the enemy”

I don’t think so. Multitudes on the left absolutely despise our capitalist republic and everything it stands for. They would elect Hugo Chavez is given the opportunity!

[BykrBayb]

Dritan Duka has been arrested for disorderly conduct and possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Between 1997 and 2006, he was stopped by police 11 times for speeding.

Shain Duka has been charged with obstruction of justice, hindering apprehension and making physical threats. He was repeatedly stopped by police and had 19 suspensions of his license.

Eljvir Duka has past drug counts and 24 suspensions of his driving permit. The state tagged him as a persistent violator.

How is this possible? Every time I renew my NJ driver license, I must produce my first marriage license, divorce decree, second marriage license (certified, even though I was married in a state that didn't stamp marriage licenses certified, so I had fun getting the first certified copy), birth certificate, social security card, and a bill addressed to me at my home address (not my P.O. Box where all my bills go). When I go to renew it next time, I'm thinking of telling them I'm an illegal alien so I don't have to produce any paperwork.