Checking in on Terror Arrests

Abdel Jabbar-Hamdan, a man who "has become a symbol for those who believe Muslims have been unfairly targeted in the government's war on terrorism" was released last night from federal prison in California. He had been a fundraiser for the Holy Land Foundation, which the government maintains funnels money to terrorist organization Hamas. The official charge under which he had been held without bond since July 2004, though, involved ovestaying a student visa from 1982. From an Orange County Register report:

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman said the government will electronically monitor Hamdan and will try to deport him.

"Both the immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals have previously held that Mr. Hamdan is deportable and subject to mandatory detention," said Lori Haley.

This Los Angeles Times story about Hamdan from a few days ago (before his release) discusses two other similar cases of terror cases turned immigration cases where held suspects have been released under court order recently.

While these cases involved support of terrorism as opposed to being an active "terror cell" that's a clear and present personal danger to American life, limb, and property, this seems an opportune time to mention that the Miami 7/Seas of David really ought to hire Jon Stewart as their defense attorney to humilate the case out of court.

In considering the thin yield of domestic terror arrests since 9/11, I wouldn't want--pace Steve Sailer!--to say there have been no "terror attacks" in the U.S. since then, thus making all the law enforcement panic effort purely silly. Sailer, in the last sentence's link, calls the recent Seattle Jewish Federation shooting such a terror attack, and reminds us of the LAX shooter on July 4, 2002.

Still, even the most Patriotic Actish of Americans might admit that a) these one-angry-man-and-a-gun actions aren't the sort of thing that post-9/11 law enforcement "everything's changed" changes were allegedly needed for and b) increased law enforcement efforts post-9/11 didn't do a thing to stop them.

I await the 2007 "Gunman Official Undoing and Security Act" (GO USA!)