Wow! CBS News isn't biting on the "Miami Seven"

[mhatrw]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/23/opinion/courtwatch/main1747715.shtml

Major Terror Ring Or 'Al Qaeda Lite'?

Andrew Cohen Is Skeptical About Arrests In Miami Terror Plot

(CBS) Attorney Andrew Cohen analyzes legal issues for CBS News and CBSNews.com.

June 23, 2006

The same people who told us that Zacarias Moussaoui was the 20th hijacker and that Jose Padilla was building a radiological bomb now are telling us that they've foiled a legitimate terror plot to take down the Sears Tower in Chicago. Maybe yes. Maybe no. I'll wait for the trial to decide.

In the meantime, please forgive me my skepticism amid all the triumphant trumpets of glee and satisfaction. This administration has on too many occasions promised much more than it ultimately would and could deliver when it comes to these terror cases.

The federal indictment Friday of seven Miami men is extraordinary for what it does not contain. It does not contain allegations that the men ever met with a genuine al Qaeda operative — just an informant playing the role for the government. It does not contain allegations that the men ever purchased any munitions or went anywhere near Chicago to case the building. It does not contain allegations that the men had any sort of a specific plan or detailed plot to take down the Sears Tower. The indictment is only 11 pages long. Read it yourself and decide whether the feds have broken up al Qaeda Lite or just the Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight.

...

Nothing in the four corners of the indictment convinces me that these guys were legitimate terrorist wannabes as opposed to a bunch of angry bozos looking lazily for al Qaeda to hook them up with all sorts of goodies.

[otohara]

1. The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight

to the gang that couldn't shoot straight in the White House.

[ginnyinWI]

2. good for them!

I've got it on the DVR and will give it a look when I get a chance. I don't think the American people are as gullible as they used to be. If this is a phoney fraud, it will be outed.

[gratuitous]

3. Did they finally cry wolf too many times?

I wasn't sure this day would ever come, when the media would remember past exaggerations and prevarications by this corrupt administration and start seeing a pattern. Instead, they've shown all the memory retentive capability of a late-stage Alzheimer's patient, swallowing every news release as if it were inscribed on stone tablets and carried by Moses himself.

Suddenly they remember the panicked stampede the Bushistas hope to start, and maybe one day will even remember their own complicity with their overly credulous reporting. But this is good, even if it is being broadcast at Friday News Dump time.

[Redstone]

4. Well, good for him. Nice to see some healthy skepticism again.

Redstone

[Warren Stupidity]

5. The whole thing was organized by 'al qaeda representative'.

The same 'al qaeda representative' was in fact working for the FBI.

KR: hey Gonzales, we need a terra bust for the 06 campaign.
AG: no problemo kkkarl, one terra bust coming up!

[man4allcats]

13. Ditto.

The same thing occurred to me. I wouldn't put a MIHOP past them, even if the MIHOP isn't an actual act but rather only the rumor of an act and the alleged perp is one of their own. These people are beneath contempt and so will do or say anything to achieve their ends.

[RagingInMiami]

29. In legal terms

That's entrapment

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. Someone needs to tell the airhead covering for Tweety tonight

that the official story is bs. She was pushing it hard.

[pooja]

23. She's just Ann Coulter with Brown hair

[mwb970]

32. She really stunk up Hardball this week, didn't she?

I had no idea Norah O'Donnell was such a blatant right-wing shill. Even the Tweety-bashers will be glad to lose this Coulter Lite figure and have Matthews back. What a waste.

[Bluebear]

7. K&R!!!!!

Hoe refreshing.

[Bluebear]

22. .

[spanone]

8. Concocted to take the sting out of the real story. Spying on our banks.

Illegally looking at bank accounts. ONce again without warrants. This is the REAL story.

[annabanana]

9. Perhaps those without internet access. . without

a cable package, can finally turn from channel to channel and see something besides the lock-step RNC talking points.

If a few of the more alert ones start to notice the discrepancies, they might start wondering if they've been getting the whole story.

People hate to feel "out of the loop".

[CatWoman]

10. bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha

:rofl:

[ThoughtCriminal]

11. It's like "Pinky and The Brain" - without Brain

What do you want to do tonight Pinky?

[mhatrw]

18. I guess the doctrine of pre-emption doesn't just cover

invasions and occupations anymore.

It also applies to daydreams and tall tales.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

12. Excellent

They're charging these bozos with conspiracy, which is as far down the list as you can go and still stay within criminal law.

Conspiracy - the law that punishes speech.

Think about it.

Another diversion.

Duct tape, anyone?

[TheCowsCameHome]

14. I suppose it was this nutty idea or knocking over a Store 24

To get a fast high, or a few $$$ for booze and butts.

[ngant17]

15. Miami - the Repugs are getting desperate?

You know, there are a lot of bona-fida terrorists in Miami that will never be investigated
by the Repugs -- Cuban-American terrorists, to be specific. They've been lurching the streets for several decades in one form or another.

These people (Jorge Mas Canosa's CANF, Alpha 66, Brothers to the Rescue, ect) often have access to large amounts of cash and hardware, especially military-grade explosives, assault rifles, you name it.

Whenever the Republic of Cuba tries to protect its citizens by organizing covert infiltration of these exile terrorist groups in Florida, the tables are turned on them and white becomes black, good become bad, positive becomes negative.

But more to the point, it's a shame that law enforcement targeted a harmless group of poor, quasi-homeless African-Americans and used an informant to set them into some kind of entrapment. Very likely all the incriminating evidence originated from same informant, at behest of his control group in the FBI and/or intelligence community.

A bag of ammonium nitrate is the only thing they can get on them? It's obvious that the Repugs are getting desperate for scapegoats now that there is a lot of bad news coming out of Iraq lately.

[wryter2000]

16. I wonder

How will this translate into their evening news broadcast (I'm PDT, and it hasn't been on here yet). Dick Meier has been posting good opinion pieces on cbsnews.com for ages, but his opinions haven't been reflected on the shows the people watch.

[ComerPerro]

17. I've even heard assertions that the undercover FBI "sting" operative

may have even provoked and encouraged planning of attacks.

[elfin]

19. All will change when Katie takes over and uses

the RNC for the program content - I like Schieffer most of the time and will miss him. He and Lara Logan are good at what they do.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

20. NBC's Brian Williams also used the word "skeptical" several times

on his news show and in his blog. :) Don't know about ABC.

[nealmhughes]

21. It was hilarious!

The "paid informant" had the seven clowns recite the "Al Qaeda Pledge of Allegiance" and Schieffer referred to them as "Keystone Kops!" Neighbors made of point of them having "drills" while dressed as ninjas!
Now how does that Pledge go again? Oh yeah, "I pledge allegiance to Osama bin Laden, Holy Jihad and al Qaeda upon which it stands..."

[rocktivity]

24. So it was a sting set up by an informant?

Like the other time when they raided the mosque and made a big deal out of it, and it turned out the FBI were trying to set them up?

:headbang:
rocknation

[Canuckistanian]

25. They seem to be the wannabe's wannabees

This looks suspiciously like one o'those planted Pentagon stories.

[LaPera]

26. Complete bullshit! Keep people in fear, justify the continued Iraq lies...

and occupation...trying to give republicans some credibility for November elections...expect a lot more bullshit from these lying fascist!!!!

[hopeisaplace]

27. Oh my goodness, this type of media reporting gives me hope

We've all been waiting for the MSM to show up...I keep hoping.
Refreshing.

[Jazz2006]

28. Excellent!

Good to see that they're not just falling all over themselves trying to prop up calls of terra terra terra.

[starroute]

30. They're not even Moslems

They're just a bunch of poor black occultist vegetarians. Talking Points Memo has a nice summary:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/008833.php

"Neighbors said at least some of the men were in a religious group called the Seas of David that appeared to mix Christian and Muslim beliefs. The group wore uniforms bearing a Star of David and met for Bible study, prayer and martial arts . . .

"The sister of Lyglenson Lemorin, or "Brother Levi," one of the men arrested Thursday on charges of concocting a terrorist plot, said her brother was involved with the group of men to study religion. Gina Lemorin, who had just returned from her college graduation in Atlanta, Georgia, when she learned of the charges, said he had been with the group in Miami doing construction work. But when the group began practicing "witchcraft," she said, Lemorin left and moved to Atlanta about four months ago ...The family of Phanor, who according to the indictment calls himself "Brother Sunni," told reporters in Miami he was innocent of all charges and was a practicing Roman Catholic, not a Muslim. . . .

"A close family friend and a distance cousin of Stanley Grant Phanor described the leader of the group, Narseal Batiste, as a "Moses-like figure" who would roam the streets in a cape or bathrobe, toting a crooked wooden cane and looking for young men to join his group. Sylvain Plantin, 30, said Batiste was a martial arts expert who preached an obscure religion."

[Polemicist]

31. They were "Ninja Terrorists"...

And they have a videotape of the FBI informant, the supposed Al Qaeda operative, leading the gang in a "Pledge to Al Qaeda".

I gotta see that video.

"I promise to do my duty to God, Al Qaeda, and my Ninja buddies, to the best of my ability, so help me Allah".

"Now comes the part where we cut our hands and become "blood buddies". Then we will all sing the "Al Qaeda song". If you don't know the words, just follow along on this poster board I've set up for you."

I hate being such a skeptic. I just don't believe anything coming out of this Administration. I've been lied to so many times. I've got a feeling these idiots were entrapped into discussions they likely never would have had, without their FBI leader.

[immoderate]

33. Here they are in uniform, They look dangerous.

--IMM

[lostnfound]

34. My Fox-news watching friend recognized it for what it is

He's not naiive, not exactly a conservative, but he usually doesn't like my extreme skepticism over the TV news..this time though, he is using the words that I so often use, like "unbelievable" and "ridiculous" and "embarassing".