Two Arrested for Terror Plot Against Train in Canada

I'd make a joke about terrorists hating them for the hockey or their maple syrup, rather than their freedom, but Canada ranks higher than the United States on some freedom scales (horrible hate speech laws notwithstanding). Anyway, Canada today thwarted an alleged terrorist plot to blow up a passenger train.

CTV News reports:

The RCMP have arrested two people in connection with an alleged al-Qaeda-backed terror plot to derail a Via Rail passenger train.

CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reported earlier Monday that the train the suspects were targeting would have been travelling from New York to Toronto, and the attack would have occurred on the Canadian side of the border. The RCMP would not confirm the targeted train's route.

Police identified the suspects as Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, a resident of Montreal and Raed Jaser, 35, a resident of Toronto. They were arrested Monday morning and are facing terror-related criminal charges including conspiracy to carry out an attack against, conspiring to interfere with transportation facilities and murdering persons for the benefit of a terrorist group.

CTV News reports authorities believe the plot was supported by al Qaeda operatives within Iran, but there is no indication that the country actually sponsored the efforts.

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Comments

[Acosmist]

"New Zealand offers the highest level of human freedom worldwide"

[Hugh Akston]

In New Zealand a man can be a man and a sheep can be a woman.

[Episiarch]

Jemaine: It doesn't matter what country someone's from, or what they look like, or the color of their skin. It doesn't matter what they smell like, or that they spell words slightly differently...some would say, more correctly.

Sinjay: Yeah...

Jemaine: Let me finish. I'm a person. Bret's a person. You're a person. That person over there is a person. And each person deserves to be treated like a person.

Sinjay: That's a great speech. Too bad New Zealanders are a bunch of cocky a-holes descended from criminals and retarded monkeys.

Jemaine: No, you're thinking of Australians.

Bret: Yeah, that's Australians.

[Death Rock and Skull]

What matters is our plan.

[Mike M.]

The teabaggers strike again!

[RyanXXX]

They obviously hate eco-friendly mass transport!

[Aresen]

I heard that they wouldn't have been caught if they hadn't assumed that Via Rail would be on time.

/snark

[Death Rock and Skull]

So I've been hearing that socialist Canada is actually closer to ditching VIA than America is to ditching Amtrak. They've been on a roll with privatizing old nationalized shit lately.

[Anti-War Libertarian]

Ditching VIA is part of Harper's CIA backed plot to turn Canada into Obama's lapdog. He libertarians must support Nationalized shit in order to defeat US aggression!

[Cytotoxic]

We WERE on a roll in the '90s at the federal level. Harper is a statist he loves big government.

[Jerryskids]

My question is - is there a debate on whether this will be handled as a criminal matter and tried in the criminal courts or handled as a military matter and turned over to the Canadian Hockey League (or whatever they call their army up there)?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

It's the Harper-SunNews-right-wing-Tea-party-paperclips complex!

Wonder how the dopes in the NDP and Drama enthusiast Justin Trudeau will spin all this.

[Aresen]

It is a measure of the Liberal Party of Canada's desperation that they have turned to Trudeau II for their new leader.

If he becomes P.M. we are fucked worse than an Australian sheep.

[rts]

Well, yes, but we'd be slightly more fucked if the NDP came to power.

As it looks like they'll do in BC... *sob*

It's fuckings all the way down!

[Anti-War Libertarian]

Well at least Trudeau and Mulcair oppose US Imperialism unlike Harper. Canada will be better off fucked and independent rather than rich and a US puppet state.

[Cytotoxic]

Trudeau won't be that bad. Harper has been a disaster.

[RyanXXX]

OT: This NPR article pissed me off. I wasn't aware that some of the Paulistas were being thrown out of their new positions of power at the state level. And I hate the condescending tone the article takes toward Paul the elder. If his son tries to ride to the WH by throwing him under the bus and sucking up to people who hated him (which I don't think he will, but it isn't outside the realm of possibility) he's lost my vote

[RyanXXX]

wow, forgot to actually post the link http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsal.....ads-legacy

[Death Rock and Skull]

I've been skeptical of Rand Paul since he basically shrugged off the primary horseshit. He's probably next in line for that treatment. Karma's a bitch.

[A Serious Man]

Did this plot involve a radical Nova Scotian terrorist, a team of ISIS agents, and an ocelot?

[RyanXXX]

Also, is Tulpa the new Goldstein or something? I'm seeing even more hate for him than usual in threads where he isn't even contributing

[SugarFree]

He stormed off in a whiny huff, demanding that we all miss his brilliance while he pouts.

[Episiarch]

Tulpa thinks being a pedantic dickhole is him "contributing". I'll wait for you to stop laughing.

[Nazdrakke]

This thread has the droids you are looking for.

[Death Rock and Skull]

Everyone has the right to keep and bear firearms as long as they are kept locked up 100% of the time and you let the cops in to inspect them once a year.

[Death Rock and Skull]

That's it. Now Amtrak security will permanently turn as gay as the airlines and the only libertarian advantage it had will be gone.

[Heroic Mulatto]

In other news, Gibbs Slaps is for beta pussies. True Alphas kill 5 people and maime 185.

Watch the panties drop.

[jesse.in.mb]

How could you not want to drop trou when he gives you a look like this?

But seriously, I'm baffled by this. He's not bad looking, decent skin, no serious disfigurements, but the guy does not even exude an ounce of sex appeal. I blame hipsters for making not sexiness into something attractive.

[Heroic Mulatto]

It's probably the accent.

[jesse.in.mb]

Oooh, what's his accent like? Will swoon for a decent accent.

[Heroic Mulatto]

@ around 1:21

[jesse.in.mb]

Meh, I'd need to hear him using it, I'm imagining him being a bit high and nasally and it just doesn't work for me.

[Heroic Mulatto]

It's probably the accent.

[Hugh Akston]

Hey at least our music is better.

[Hugh Akston]

Also I've heard that chicks dig Chechen accents?

[Stormy Dragon]

He's a bad boy. They just know that their love could make him a good person again.

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

Since when does Via Rail even go to (from) New York? I mean, the RCMP won't confirm the route, so it's hard to even make sense of what these fuckers were doing. Best guess is they were taking Amtrak (the Adirondacker) to Montreal, then from there on Via to Toronto. Or perhaps taking Amtrak (Lake Shore Ltd or similar) across New York state and changing somewhere west, in Ontario, to Via. But Via trains don't leave New York, so...

[Heroic Mulatto]

Why do you know so much about trains?

Nerd.

Train nerd.

[Gordilocks]

I thought they only did that in Scotland, they being heroin junkies.

[Episiarch]

No, that's not it, it's that nicole picks up a lot of her johns on trains so she's become very familiar with the routes.

[Heroic Mulatto]

I've seen movies like that on Youporn....

[Hugh Akston]

So nicole is sort of a cross between Mata Hari and Boxcar Willie?

[Episiarch]

Kind of, but not that classy. Think more of a cross between Boxcar Willie and your mom.

[Hugh Akston]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Unglaublich!

[jesse.in.mb]

I'm confused Epi, that sounds like just your kind of skank...

[Episiarch]

Yes, jesse, Hugh's mom is definitely my kind of skank.

[Irish]

Are you saying Nicole sounds like Epi's kind of skank?

If Epi and Nicole got together, that kid would be some sort of super-libertarian.

When that kid is just a glint in Nicole's eye, that glint would call the other eye a statist.

When that child is 8 years old and gets caught in class with a slingshot, he'll claim his teacher is infringing on his right to conceal-carry.

He'll turn his 9th grade class into a sweatshop making widgets.

[Episiarch]

Actually, Irish, we had to break it to you at some point: you're our love child. And you're a fucking disappointment! Also, no love was actually involved.

[Irish]

Wait, Nicole's only like 4 years older than me.

HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN!?!

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

I don't know, how did it happen that you're in Chicago but it's been like a big secret until today's PM Links when I wasn't around? How did that happen?

[Irish]

Big secret? I attack Epi for not realizing how great deep dish pizza is all the time.

No one outside Rahm Emanuel's grand utopia would ever do that. Read between the lines, woman.

I'd also argue that not telling me that I'm your bastard child is a greater secret than me not telling you where I live.

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

Oh, is liking deep dish bullshit supposed to be some kind of sign of being from here? I guess that makes sense then. God you're so close to being the worst, I'm going to have to watch my tiara.

[sloopyinca]

I attack Epi for not realizing how great deep dish pizza is all the time.

I've heard of deep dish. And I've heard of pizza. But what the fuck is deep dish pizza?

[Irish]

You people are demons. What's it like to hate everything good about the world?

This is why there are no Irish libertarians.

[Heroic Mulatto]

But what the fuck is deep dish pizza?

It's a mythical food that is referenced in the rejected script for what would have been the Star Wars pre-trilogy.

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

If Epi and Nicole got together, that kid would be some sort of super-libertarian.

Also, I mean, really, if we did have a kid and it ended up being a libertarian rather than an anarchist, I think we'd both agree that we had to disown it. I mean maybe we could give it to one of you guys to do your monocle polishing.

So I guess that's your future, Irish...

[Episiarch]

No, his future is being on the same list as ProL.

(spits)

[Irish]

What, because I like real pizza and not cardboard slathered in grease and the cast off filth of slaughtered dreams?

Truly I am a monster. I'm almost as bad as Nicole.

[Episiarch]

When you reach her age, I'm sure you'll be the worst too.

[jesse.in.mb]

Also, I mean, really, if we did have a kid and it ended up being a libertarian rather than an anarchist, I think we'd both agree that we had to disown it.

Haha, you'll be happy your kid doesn't end up a card carrying fascist. My parents were lucky: they swung hard from drug addled hippies to fundamentalist SoCons and I was forced to choose a middle way (thereby becoming surprisingly normal) to avoid becoming like them.

[sloopyinca]

(thereby becoming surprisingly normal)

[SPIT TAKE]

[jesse.in.mb]

I said SURPRISINGLY

[sloopyinca]

Sorry, but you should never be able to write a sentence in the first person where the words "surprisingly" and "normal" are in close proximity. That lube subthread a couple of weeks ago disqualifies you completely.

[Irish]

That lube subthread a couple of weeks ago disqualifies you completely.

And the anal subthread.

[jesse.in.mb]

What did I say wrong in the lube sub-thread? SIV was the one with the link that broke Irish.

You post here, you lying sack of shit. No one's impressed by you pretending to be normal. It's like Shrike pretending to be a libertarian.

I can walk among the normal without them realizing I'm not normal. It's kind of like being normal, no?

[Irish]

I was forced to choose a middle way (thereby becoming surprisingly normal)

You post here, you lying sack of shit. No one's impressed by you pretending to be normal. It's like Shrike pretending to be a libertarian.

[sloopyinca]

If Epi and Nicole got together, that kid would be some sort of super-libertarian.

We could form a Tag Team wrestling crew. I'm off to get some rubber bands attached to my face!

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

So nicole is sort of a cross between Mata Hari and Boxcar Willie?

Boxcar Bertha, baby.

[Death Rock and Skull]

I drank purple drank on the New Orleans train once because I was bored.

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

Actually, I'm the daughter of a train nerd. Who took the train between NYC and Montreal more times than I can count.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Why couldn't he have exposed you to something useful?

Like twerking.

[Nikki makes the sign of a tsp]

Well, he sort of did that by sending me to public schools.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Imagine if they combined twerking with bhangra?

[Heroic Mulatto]

And speaking of that...can someone tell me what in the holy hell is going on @4:30 here?

[Irish]

Best youtube comment of all time:

Watching this video was really sad. If every single country in the world used islam as their guide, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAPPEN.
Yes! Girls now are acting like sex dolls, sex toys,? nothing but that. It is really sad.
This world has turned into a planet of animals.

Truly, nations guided by the light of the prophet are havens of morality and reason.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Who knew "American/Conrad" trolled Youtube as well?

[Irish]

I think what gibbs was trying to say is that even muslim culture has it's hoes despite the iron fist have on the women? about immorality.

Even muslim culture has its hoes. /Youtube philosopher

[Heroic Mulatto]

Even muslim culture has its hoes.

Didn't the Reason Foundation just sponsor an hour-long talk with that very thesis?

Oh shit, they did!

[Homple]

Nikki is Lucius Beebe reincarnated. But of course you knew that.

[Gordilocks]

I think it's kind of interesting how we're not getting wall-to-wall coverage of people going apeshit up here, and my Facebook feed hasn't even mentioned this, all day. I've got many reasons to despise the rulers, and some of the livestock, in this particular tax farm, but the fact that no one in the media or amongst anyone I know, has even mentioned this yet, is somewhat re-assuring.

In regards to what Trudeau Jr has to say - who cares?

The Lib/Dipper/CONS troika has run this country into the ground, and that won't change anytime soon; unless we get some kind of PR electoral system, of course. That would at least prevent any one of these 3 jokers from fucking it up any further.

OT, CISPA, anyone?

[Anti-War Libertarian]

Canada needs some Communist that opposes US Imperialism. That way Canada will be truly free.

[Death Rock and Skull]

I saw this popping up on the Google desktop news thing hours before Reason mentioned it.

[Gordilocks]

Sure, it was mentioned, but compared to this event happening in America, the coverage here was quite subdued. Seriously, I only heard about this about an hour ago ... if some train bombing plot had been uncovered in West Virginia, it would have blotted out everything else.

[Cytotoxic]

How would PR stop the fucking up?

[Gladstone]

1962-1968, 1972-1974 and 2004-2011 didn't show much improvement occuring.

[Gordilocks]

Considering our demographics, at least it would prevent any ONE party fucking it up ... The fucking up would be slowed down by the system essentially forcing coalitions.

[TeamBarstool]

Save the Swayzie Express!!!!

[Episiarch]

Are you fucking with me here, Bubbs? 'Cause it's not funny, man.

[Gordilocks]

Way of The Road, Bubbs, it's the way of the road.

[Anti-War Libertarian]

What's wrong with Canada's hate speech laws? Yankee puppet neocons oppose it so it must be libertarian to support it.

[RyanXXX]

Let me guess, you think this is a biting satire of Rockwell, Raimondo, etc?

[Dunphy (the real one)]

What's wrong with Canada's hate speech laws? The fact that they have hate speech laws in the first place is the problem. And the laws are AWFUL. Heck, the most amazing part is that even if the speech that is "hateful" can be proved to be factually correct - that's not a defense.

Not to mention that aspects of the law criminalize "hate speech" even between consenting adults over the phone.

Canada is AWFUL on speech.

I took a train the trainer hate CRIME investigator's class a few years back and we had a bunch of RCMP in the class. Needless to say, comparatively law became a topic.

They were amazed at how much freedom of speech we have. One of them was amazed that we couldn't arrest people for racist speech or holocaust denial etc.

Canada is pretty good on a # of freedoms but when it comes to speech, they are, like Europe and pretty much the rest of the world - fucked.

Go check out the CCLA (Canadian Civil Liberties Agency) and compare the speech protection they enjoy vs. ours. The stuff that FIRE fights would be par for the course in Canada.

[sloopyinca]

Serious questions here, dunphy. I posted a story in the PM Links about a Seattle cop that allegedly assaulted a cuffed suspect that they had arrested because they started getting on people that were drinking.

1: I thought you said they don't have a law against open container or public intox unless one was in a vehicle.
2: What law or policy is in place for a cop that comes to an already-controlled crime scene for no other reason to go after the guy that allegedly asaaulted the cop's wife.
3: Is it not funny that the guild said it's a double-standard against cops because a civilian wouldn't get the same level of scrutiny all the while calling for the investigation to be handled by a board a "civilian" doesn't even have access to?
4: I've seen them release plenty of dashcam video in Seattle before investigations are ongoing if it helps the cop's narrative. And isn't it required under WA's FOIA laws to release the video upon request?

[Dunphy (the real one)]

1) there is no state law against public intoxication. I never said there was no open container law. I said when I went to college in SB we had no open container law (except for like the last year or two). There IS a state law against open container in WA. I have no idea if the city of seattle has municipal codes vis a vis public intoxication, although my understanding is that public intoxication laws create constitutional problems in WA (that's what I was told).

2) I'm not sure what you are asking here.

3) Not at all. There are two different things here. THey are saying the CRIMINAL charges would not be preferred if it wasn't for the vendetta against cops (iow a negative double standard). Iow, it was pushy-shovy shit, not even like a full on punch. Fwiw, I have never seen pushy shovy shit charged on 'civilians'. That shit gets nolle pros'd all the time. My entire time here, those kind of "assaults" simply don't get charged. - against "civilians".

I've had two friends of mine charged with bogus assaults in the last couple of years and they were both acquitted. Some prosecutors DO have a double standard against cops and will charge some pretty bullshit "assaults"

THe other thing (APART FROM THE CRIMINAL THANG) is the dept'al aspect which is who they are referred to. They are saying a 'civilian' wouldn't even be criminally charged in the first place.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

They are saying the ofc's actions may have been improper which is why, they do not believe they rise to the level of criminal activity, that they should be investigated by the board. The board can handle matters that, while improper, do not sie to the level of criminality.

4) "A police dashboard-camera video that captured the incident has not been released because of pending legal matters, including a potential civil suit.". That's what the article says. I don't know if that is the way it works under FOIA or not. It is an aspect of the law I am admittedly ignorant of. I have requested police reports from other agencies pursuant to FOIA fwiw.

[sloopyinca]

1: Thanks.

2: I was curious if there's a policy or law in place for a cop that has no business coming to a controlled crime scene, off his actual beat, with the sole purpose of confronting a man accused of hitting his (the cop's) wife. Wouldn't that at least rise to dereliction of duty or something even more serious if he committed an assault while on duty in a place he wasn't supposed to be?

3: Sorry, but the way he framed his answer came across as "we should be handling this internally and Pete Holmes is on a witch hunt against cops". That's all post-DoJ smackdown on their total lack of transparency and equal protection as well, which to me comes across as whining because they're finally being held responsible for some of their actions.

4: Fair enough. I thought WA had pretty strict FOIA laws that King County kept paying settlements for instead of just releasing incriminating and/or embarrassing videos of cops behaving badly.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

2) Im not aware of a specific policy, and of course I havent read SPD's policies and procedures. At least in my agency, there would be no specific violation I am aware of. It would be a bad IDEA. Committing an assault is the issue. We have lots of bf/gf cop couples and or spouses and yes, it's a bad idea for the spouse of a cop just assaulted to go to a scene to confront the perp, assuming that's what happened here, and the scene was "under control" at the time, which I am not aware was the case, but assuming arguendo.

3) Right. I am saying that the argument is that minor "assaults" SHOULD be handled inhternally. Most of these are the type that would result in NO charges against a civilian. Again, in 15 yrs here in the PAC NW I have not had ONE case involving a push or slap that resulted in criminal charges (Ok, i had one slap case that was a DV so it got charged but then dropped). They don't charge these minor assaults against "civilians" at all.

I have no idea if THIS assault in this case is of a similar kind of minor seriousness.

I had a case and where I did testify against my coworker to IIU where he slapped a kid who spit at his feet. That's a perfect example. He was given a 3 day suspension. Reasonable

Charging him with assault would have been prosecturial overkill.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

4) King county doesn't have dashboard cameras so I am not sure how they could get in trouble for not releasing videos. Which videos are you referring to? King county had no problem releasing the Schene jail video, for instance. But KCSO cruisers don't have dash cameras. SPD does.

I've posted stats that show that SPD has a lower use of force frequency than similar agencies (same service size population, etc.). I have ZERO doubt some SPD officers use excessive force.

Assuming this was a minor pushy/shovy type assault, the officer should get a suspension at worse, not criminal prosecution. If he hauled off an punched the handcuffed prisoner, of course he should be prosecuted.

[sloopyinca]

2: Any chance that's why the DA charged him? My guess is yes.

3: Meh, equal protection means equal protection. If there is a different justice process for cops, it's subject to abuse one way or the other. All assaults should be handled uniformly, whether they happened by a cop's or a non-cop's hands.

4: I was referring to King County taxpayers getting stuck with the bill in settled FOIA cases where SPD refused to release video in accordance with FOIA requests. I think it's been pretty well publicized.

I'm not trying to argue with you, so don't take it as such, but I want to point out that there should never, ever be a union contract-created justice system for legal infractions, however minor. It's anathema to "Equal Protection Under The Law".

[Dunphy (the real one)]

2) assuming it was minor pushyshovy, I think the reason he got charged was so that the DA and SPD could go "look, see we are being tough in investigating our officers" considering all the negative press they have gotten recently on rhR DEONR. Iow, this ofc. got caught up in a political point that the DA is trying to make and that sucks. If it's minor, then he shouldn't be charged.

3) No, but cops SHOULD have that extra layer of departmental review. Iow, if it;s a civilian minor assault results in NO negative repercussions. If a cop, it results in internal discipline. MAJOR assault in both cases results in prosecution.

4) ok

again, what I am saying is that it is a fact that "minor " assaults do not get charged against civilians at all, generally speaking. I am referring to pushy shovy slappy type shit. I can say that based on 15 yrs here. The cops usually won't even MAKE a report on it, and if they do, the prosecutor won't charge it.

In the case of cops, they should not get away with stuff like scot-free, like a civilian would. (and I am using the term "civilian" for convenience, you know what I mean). And generally speaking, they don't. They get punished INTERNALLY. a 5 day suspension, for example, is reasonable.

The concept of progressive discipline applies. First time - suspension. Second time - 20 day suspension./ Third time - fired.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

Or something like that. I don't believe you toss away a career because of a mistake, but you make the discipline progressive.

I;'ve got 15 yrs of stellar service here in the PAC NW. If I , god forbid, went overbard in a UOF, I would get more lenient treatment than a guy who has committed other offenses.

Granted, ANY sort of assault against a HANDCUFFED suspect is NOT GOOD.

I was once seriously assaulted by a guy who happened to be in handcuffs. It took Every OUNCE of restraint not to pummel him. But I didn't.

He did get sentenced to several months, which was satisfying enough, but cops are human. Sometimes we go overboard.

[Death Rock and Skull]

If you didn't insult and demoralize the Dudleys over their hate speech shit every minute, you're not a libertarian.

[Anonymous Coward]

murdering persons for the benefit of a terrorist group.

This is an actual thing? Attempted murder isn't sufficiently...murder-y?

[Dunphy (the real one)]

The federal criminal codes have a criminal code for EVERYTHING.

[Homple]

Three Felonies a Day:

http://www.amazon.com/Three-Fe.....1594035229

[Dunphy (the real one)]

great book

[sloopyinca]

You think so? I enjoyed it, but to have a larger effect, I wish Silverglate would have dumbed it down for the masses. Explaining in exhaustive detail the salvaging laws on old rail beds (that was in there, right?) for scrap iron just doesn't connect with the common man.

Perhaps he should release a Three Felonies A Day For Dummies or The Idiots Guide To Government Overreach.

Actually, that's not a bad idea, is it?

[sloopyinca]

larger=greater. I changed ideas mid-sentence.

[sloopyinca]

If they had gone after a Quebecois target, the majority of our northern brothers would be rejoicing tonight.

Or bomb a milk-bag factory and watch all hell break loose.

[Cytotoxic]

We don't drink from sacks here in Alberta.

[Gordilocks]

Only fucking cows drink milk.

[Dunphy (the real one)]

Awesomest Suspect description ever just came over my CAD:

14YO RESIDENT IS THROWING ROCKS AT STAFF AND VEHS...NO INJ YET, STAFF TRYING TO GET HER UNDER CONTROL BUT HAVENT BEEN ABLE TOO YET
CARRYING RED SWEATSHIRT AND TEDDY BEAR
16:28:19 INFO Comment:HAS A BIG STICK NOW
16:31:22 INFO Comment:STANDING IN STREET NOW, MAY GO NB IF SHE TAKES OFF
16:36:47 INFO Comment:VIC STILL HAS STICK AND YELLING THAT SHE WILL "KILL THEM"...STAFF MOSTLY STANDING BACK AND MONITORING HER FOR SAFETY TILL WE ARRIVE

lol. Teddy bear.

[Homple]

If there is video of this, you could make many people happy by posting it on YouTube. If legal, of course.

[Lyle]

Why is Scott too cowardly to call them extremist Muslim terrorists? Would Scott be afraid to call David Duke a white supremacist?

[Cytotoxic]

So...is this blowback against Canadian imperialism against AQ against Iran...no wait...that doesn't make any sense. Maybe they just hate us for our freedoms.

[Lyle]

I don't think Reason knows what to say or do now. There is a total dearth of writing on what happened last week. You would think there would be more, but there isn't.

Poor Ed Krayewski and Matthew Feeney.

[Calidissident]

"There is a total dearth of writing on what happened last week. You would think there would be more, but there isn't."

Yeah it's not like there haven't been multiple posts about it every weekday since it happened

[Lyle]

There hasn't been that much in my opinion.

[Stilgar]

Last I heard, Al and Bob Qaeda were not welcome in Iran.

[Lyle]

Actually the Iranian government or elements in the Iranian government work with al Qaeda when it is useful.

[RyanXXX]

As does the US Government. We should drone DC!! That'll teach 'em to support terrrrists!

[Lyle]

Yes, this is true unfortunately.

[RyanXXX]

"When it suits their purposes" is the important part of your post, I think. The USA and Iran sometimes support Sunni Jihadists out of geopolitical calculations, not out of ideological affinity. This is contrast to most of the Gulf donors who fill Al Qaeda's coffers

[Lyle]

Yep, there are differences. Although Iran's working with al Qaeda is worse... they support al Qaeda in building IEDs and what not. We gave them missiles to knock Soviet helicopters out of the sky.

And we're about to be giving them medical aid in Syria.