Bush Seeks More Anti-Terrorist Power for Feds

From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON - On the eve of the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, President Bush is urging that law enforcement authorities get the same powers to investigate and prosecute suspected terrorists as they already have to combat drug-traffickers, embezzlers, mobsters and other criminals. [?]

For example, suspected drug traffickers are presumptively denied bail in some cases but those provisions don't apply to suspected terrorists, the administration argues. Similarly, the death penalty applies to crimes such as sexual abuse and drug-related offenses, but not to some terrorist crimes. Also, provisions for administrative subpoenas that are available in medical fraud cases and more than 300 other instances do not apply to terrorism, [White House press secretary Scott] McClellan said.

Comments

[rabidfox]

I don't know whether the article is true or not, but if it is true then, yes, we need the same sort of tools against terrorists that we have against drug trafficers. But I'm surprised that we don't have them already.

[joe]

Some terror-related murders are not eligible for the death penatly? I simply do not believe this to be true.

[Warren]

"?we need the same sort of tools against terrorists that we have against drug traffickers."

No we need to repeal the special (and unconstitutional) powers given to prohibition enforcement. And even if we won't actually diminish the tyranny we live under, the last thing we should be doing is expanding it.

[Anonymous]

I'd be willing to possibly accept a trade, swap the terroism laws with the drug war laws. But I have to think about it some more.