“Al-Qaeda apparently did a horrible job in speaking of the consequences of getting caught.”
No, Al-Q said that if you are caught, become a major PIA and raise heck with whatever you can, especially the infidel legal system since you’ll find many sympathetic friends.
I’ve seen some shows on the supermax in Florence. Those bastards wear tracking devices at all times and live in complete isolation. A guy I went to high school with was sentenced there and he sobbed like a baby. A PIA is the last thing you become I believe.