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Republican_Man STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 14823 Location: Classified
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:44 pm Man Accused of Plotting to Assassinate Bush |
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FOX News wrote: | Man Accused of Plotting to Assassinate Bush
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
ALEXANDRIA, Va. � An American citizen was charged Tuesday with conspiring to assassinate President Bush and with supporting Al Qaeda (search).
If convicted of all the charges, Ahmed Omar Abu Ali (search), 23, faces a maximum sentence of 80 years in prison.
Abu Ali, a former Virginia high school valedictorian, made an initial appearance Tuesday in U.S. District Court. He contended that he was tortured while detained in Saudi Arabia since June of 2003 and offered through his lawyer to show the judge his scars.
"It's all lies," his father said of the charges, and his lawyer said he would plead innocent.
An indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Alexandria on Feb. 3 was unsealed Tuesday. There are 10 alleged co-conspirators in the indictment.
Abu Ali faces six counts: conspiracy to provide material support and resources to Al Qaeda; providing material support to Al Qaeda; conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists; providing material support to terrorists; contribution of services to Al Qaeda; and receipt of funds and services from Al Qaeda.
The federal indictment said that in 2002 and 2003 Abu Ali and an unidentified co-conspirator discussed plans for Abu Ali to assassinate Bush. They discussed two scenarios, the indictment said: one in which Abu Ali "would get close enough to the president to shoot him on the street" and, alternatively, "an operation in which Abu Ali would detonate a car bomb."
Abu Ali's court-appointed attorney, Edwards MacMahon, said his client intends to plead not guilty to all charges.
"I would ask everyone to remember that he fought and his family fought very hard for him to come back here and for him to have a chance to have a fair trial and he expects to have a fair trial and to be vindicated," said MacMahon, who also is representing the so-called "20th hijacker" in the Sept. 11 attacks, Zacarias Moussaoui.
Click here to read the indictment. The White House has no immediate comment.
U.S. Attorney Paul McNulty of the Eastern District of Virginia, whose office also investigated and prosecuted the Abu Ali case with the assistance of the Counterterrorism Section of Criminal Division at the Department of Justice, said in a statement: "After the devastating terrorist attack and murders of September 11, the defendant turned his back on America and joined the cause of Al Qaeda. He now stands charged with some of the most serious offenses our nation can bring against supporters of terrorism."
Abu Ali was born in Houston and later moved to Falls Church, Va., where he was valedictorian of his high school class. He allegedly went on to pursue religious studies in Saudi Arabia in 2000 and federal prosecutors say Abu Ali joined an Al Qaeda cell in Saudi Arabia in 2001. The alleged Bush plot occurred while he was studying in that country, the indictment says.
Sometime around September 2002, Abu Ali allegedly returned to Saudi Arabia (search) and told an unnamed co-conspirator that he was interested in joining Al Qaeda. The indictment alleges that Abu Ali intended to become a planner of terrorist operations like Muhammad Atta and Khalid Sheik Muhammad.
Abu Ali allegedly decided at one point to go to Afghanistan to take part in a violent jihad against American military personnel there. He applied for a visa to travel to Iran as a means to enter Afghanistan but his application was denied, according to the indictment.
Abu Ali also received money from another co-conspirator and Al Qaeda member to buy a laptop computer, a cell phone and books, the indictment says. Abu Ali is said to have purchased all the equipment.
At some point, this alleged Al Qaeda member who gave him the money discussed with Abu Ali establishing an Al Qaeda cell in the United States. Abu Ali received training in weapons, explosives and document forgery from Al Qaeda members, the indictment says.
According to the indictment, Abu Ali obtained a religious blessing from another unidentified co-conspirator to assassinate the president. One of the unidentified co-conspirators in the plot is among 19 people the Saudi government said in 2003 was seeking to launch terror attacks in that country, according to the indictment.
He was arrested in Saudi Arabia on June 9, 2003.
The indictment lists some of Abu Ali's possessions as of June 16, 2003:
� A six page document regarding surveillance by the government and private entities and how to avoid the surveillance;
� An undated two-page document praising Taliban leader Mullah Omar and the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001;
� Audio tapes in Arabic promoting violent jihad and the killing of Jews;
� A book written by Al Qaeda official Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Abu Ali's family contends that U.S. officials were behind his detention by Saudi authorities and wanted him held in that country so he could be tortured for information. A lawsuit brought on their behalf in U.S. District Court in Washington seeks to compel the government to disclose what it knows about Abu Ali and his detention.
MacMahon told FOX News that everyone who was in the court's holding area saw the "scars" on Abu Ali's back, adding, "there is no question that he was whipped while in Saudi custody."
Abu Ali's appearance in federal court here was a surprise because the government never publicly disclosed that he had left Saudi Arabia.
More than 100 supporters of Abu Ali crowded the courtroom Tuesday and laughed when the charge was read aloud alleging that he conspired to assassinate Bush.
When Abu Ali asked to speak, U.S. Magistrate Liam O'Grady suggested he consult with his attorney, Ashraf Nubani.
"He was tortured," Nubani told the court. "He has the evidence on his back. He was whipped. He was handcuffed for days at a time."
When Nubani offered to show the judge his back, O'Grady said that Abu Ali might be able to enter that as evidence on Thursday at a detention hearing.
"I can assure you you will not suffer any torture or humiliation while in the [U.S.] marshals' custody," O'Grady said.
Before Tuesday's court appearance, more than 600 family members, friends and acquaintences of Abu Ali signed an online petition, which sent to the State Department, saying his detention in Saudi Arabia was unjust and demanding his release.
"It has been more than six months since his detention with NO charges having been filed against him," the petition states. "His right to meet with his family and seek legal counsel has been denied. Additionally, we urge the U.S. State Department to do all that it can to bring Ahmed home immediately."
FOX News' Catherine Herridge, Anna Persky and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source |
Frightening. Thank God it's been thrwarted.
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Puck The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 5596
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:45 pm |
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LOL...I am sure he is not the only one. Thank goodness the Secret Service is smarter than these people.
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Republican_Man STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 14823 Location: Classified
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:46 pm |
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JanewayIsHott wrote: | LOL...I am sure he is not the only one. Thank goodness the Secret Service is smarter than these people. |
Well, if you read it he's been accused of working for Al Queda too. It's a terrorist thing.
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Republican_Man STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 14823 Location: Classified
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:58 pm |
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And btw, for history's sake:
FOX News wrote: | Fast Facts: Plots to Kill a President
Four American presidents have been assassinated and several others have had attempts made on their lives. Following is a breakdown of the violent acts and plots made against presidents:
Assassinations
Abraham Lincoln: shot and killed April 14, 1865
John Wilkes Booth, an actor and a Southern sympathizer during the Civil War, assassinated Lincoln during a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington. Booth escaped but was found hiding in a barn where authorities shot and killed him. Others who were tied to an assassination conspiracy were executed.
James A. Garfield: shot July 2, 1881 and died Sept. 19, 1881
Charles J. Guiteau shot Garfield in the back at Union Station in Washington. The assassin apparently was upset at not getting a job in the Garfield administration and he wanted to put Vice President Chester A. Arthur into office. He was hanged for the crime.
William McKinkley: shot Sept. 6, 1901 and died Sept. 14
Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist, twice shot McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition being held in Buffalo, N.N. In a confession, Czologosz said he wanted to change the U.S. government. He was executed Oct. 29, 1901.
John F. Kennedy: shot and killed Nov. 22, 1963
Lee Harvey Oswald shot at Kennedy's car as it made its way through downtown Dallas. Besides hitting Kennedy, shots also injured Texas Gov. John Connolly. Oswald was apprehended but two days later he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby as authorities were transporting him. Despite allegations that Oswald was part of a conspiracy, the Warren Commission concluded he acted alone.
Attempted Assassinations
Andrew Jackson: Jan. 30, 1835.
Would-be assassin Richard Lawrence misfired twice at Jackson at the Capitol Building. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was sent to a mental institution, where he remained until his death in 1861.
Theodore Roosevelt: Oct. 13, 1912
No longer president, Roosevelt was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when he was shot by John Schrank. A prepared speech in Roosevelt's breast pocket, which was thick and folded slowed the bullet, and Roosevelt insisted on giving his speech with the bullet still inside him. Schrank was found legally insane was sent to an mental institution, where he remained until his death in 1943.
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Feb. 15, 1933
Giuseppe Zangara fired five shots at Roosevelt's motorcade in Miami Florida, one month before Roosevelt was to be sworn in. The mayor of Chicago, Anton Cermak, was killed in the barrage, and four people were wounded. Zangara was convicted of murder and executed.
Harry S. Truman: Nov. 1, 1950
Two men, Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, ambushed the Blair House in Washington D.C., where Truman was temporarily residing. Torresola was killed by guards, while Collazo was wounded. Collazo was sentenced was sentenced to death, but Truman reduced the sentence to life in prison, and Jimmy Carter subsequently freed him in 1979.
Richard Nixon: Feb. 22, 1974
Samuel S. Byck plotted to kill Nixon by crashing a commercial airliner into the White House. After finding his attempt could not succeed, he shot the pilot and copilot, and then killed himself.
Gerald Ford: Sept. 5, 1975 and Sept. 22, 1975
Lynette Fromme, a disciple of Charles Manson, drew an unloaded revolver on Ford in Sacramento, California; she was sentenced to life in prison, where she remains. 17 days later, in San Francisco, California, Sara Jane Moore fired a revolver at Ford from 40 feet away. The shot missed Ford because a bystander grabbed Moore's arm. Moore was sentenced to life in prison.
Ronald Reagan: March 30, 1981
John Hinckley, Jr. fired six shots at Reagan in Washington, D.C. in an attempt to impress actress Jodie Foster. One bullet ruptured Reagan's lung and lodged close to his heart. Another bullet entered the brain of press secretary James Brady. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity, and remains in a mental institution in Washington.
Bill Clinton: Oct. 29, 1994
Francisco Martin Duran fired shots at the White House, believing that Clinton was among a group of men in dark suits. There were no injuries and Duran was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
George W. Bush: February 2001
Federal officials accuse Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, an American citizen, of plotting to kill Bush. The federal indictment said that in 2002 and 2003 Abu Ali and an unidentified co-conspirator discussed plans for Abu Ali to assassinate Bush. They discussed two scenarios, the indictment said: one in which Abu Ali "would get close enough to the president to shoot him on the street" and, alternatively, "an operation in which Abu Ali would detonate a car bomb."
Source Information: Wikipedia, U.S. Justice Department
Source |
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Defiant Fleet Admiral
Joined: 04 Jul 2001 Posts: 15946 Location: Oregon City, OR
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:00 pm |
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NO WAY!
He'll get 80 YEARS!!! Thats total bs.
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Republican_Man STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 14823 Location: Classified
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:04 pm |
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Defiant wrote: | NO WAY!
He'll get 80 YEARS!!! Thats total bs. |
Oh my gosh. You have to be an idiot to think that 80 years is much! (I guess you're an idiot then lol )
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Defiant Fleet Admiral
Joined: 04 Jul 2001 Posts: 15946 Location: Oregon City, OR
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:05 pm |
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NO SIR!
I think he should get 6 consecutive life sentences. 80 years is total BS, he has the opp. to get out! Thats so not cool!
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Republican_Man STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 14823 Location: Classified
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:07 pm |
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Defiant wrote: | NO SIR!
I think he should get 6 consecutive life sentences. 80 years is total BS, he has the opp. to get out! Thats so not cool! |
Oh, lol. For some reason I thought that you wanted less of a sentence I agree!
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Defiant Fleet Admiral
Joined: 04 Jul 2001 Posts: 15946 Location: Oregon City, OR
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:09 pm |
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Nosir! I can hate someone all I want, but conspiring with terrorism and plotting to kill someone, really not cool.
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Republican_Man STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 14823 Location: Classified
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:13 pm |
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Defiant wrote: | Nosir! I can hate someone all I want, but conspiring with terrorism and plotting to kill someone, really not cool. |
Agreed. Superb, Defiant. You are 100% right here.
...Wait. Did I just say that...Defiant...was...100%...*gulp* right? I must be going crazy!
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Lord Borg Fleet Admiral
Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 11214 Location: Vulcan Capital City, Vulcan
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:59 pm |
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rm and defiant agreeing? wow anyways as for the guy yeah get him hes a traitor!!!
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CJ Cregg Commodore
Joined: 05 Oct 2002 Posts: 1254
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 8:15 pm |
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Thank god this didnt happen!! I dont want to see the president shot, if he did we would get CHENEY!!! The only man worst than bush
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Alucard Vampire
Joined: 06 Nov 2004 Posts: 2780 Location: Caaaaaanada
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 9:20 pm |
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ouch that was a good 1 though but yes... Bush must stauy... luckily he's alive
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sabertooth1217 UPN Boycotter
Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 11484 Location: Texas
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 9:22 pm |
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I really do not like the man but this was way to far.
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Micteth-Son of Udas Klingon Warrior
Joined: 20 Jul 2002 Posts: 3202 Location: rite behind you!
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 9:29 pm |
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Go dude who tried to kill bush!!!!!
i dont like him anymore.
WHAT?
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Link, the Hero of Time Vice Admiral
Joined: 15 Sep 2001 Posts: 5581 Location: Kokori Forest, Hyrule
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:48 pm |
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I'd like to see the evidence that they have gathered that would prove all of what he's accused of.
Innocent until proven guilty, or are we now a subsect of the soviet union where everyone is guilty?
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Republican_Man STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 14823 Location: Classified
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Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:03 pm |
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Link, the Hero of Time wrote: | I'd like to see the evidence that they have gathered that would prove all of what he's accused of.
Innocent until proven guilty, or are we now a subsect of the soviet union where everyone is guilty? |
Actually, they're gone, but in France you're guilty until proven innocent.
But no, the evidence they've found shows that he is guilty of a plot to assassinate the President.
And what if he is, but something happens and some how he's left off the hook (like a radical left-wing court), and then does the assassination and another terrorist attack occurs, linking him to the crime, hmmm?
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Link, the Hero of Time Vice Admiral
Joined: 15 Sep 2001 Posts: 5581 Location: Kokori Forest, Hyrule
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Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:44 am |
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like I said, I'd liketo see the evidence. All that report has in it is a bunch of "Alleged" stuff, which amounts to a whole bunch of circumstancial evidnece.
I mean come on, the guy was held in a Saudi prison and whipped, the least you could do was let him see his family.
Quote: |
"I can assure you you will not suffer any torture or humiliation while in the [U.S.] marshals' custody," O'Grady said. |
I love this quote. "Except if we send you to Guantanmo Bay" Should be added.
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Republican_Man STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 14823 Location: Classified
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Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:59 am |
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Link, the Hero of Time wrote: | like I said, I'd liketo see the evidence. All that report has in it is a bunch of "Alleged" stuff, which amounts to a whole bunch of circumstancial evidnece.
I mean come on, the guy was held in a Saudi prison and whipped, the least you could do was let him see his family.
Quote: |
"I can assure you you will not suffer any torture or humiliation while in the [U.S.] marshals' custody," O'Grady said. |
I love this quote. "Except if we send you to Guantanmo Bay" Should be added. |
Oh, yeah, riiiiight.
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Zeke Zabertini Captain
Joined: 13 Sep 2002 Posts: 4832
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Wed Feb 23, 2005 10:28 am |
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I'd like to see the evidence against him. From what the article says, it sounds like most of it is from surveillance. Not that I suspect anything. At least he's getting a fair trial. Not all these alleged terrorists are so lucky.
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Theresa Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001 Posts: 27256 Location: United States of America
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Wed Feb 23, 2005 11:49 am |
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lol, most of the evidence is no doubt classified. I'd also like to know the troop movements, Mr. President,
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Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with our scars
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Zeke Zabertini Captain
Joined: 13 Sep 2002 Posts: 4832
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Wed Feb 23, 2005 1:54 pm |
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If it is, that's an affront to the Freedom of Information Act. Not that that seems to bother the government much. Anyway, your comparison is skewed and you know it so I won't bother to explain to you why troop movements in sensitive areas and evidence to be presented in a court of law are two completely different things.
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Kyre Commodore
Joined: 15 Mar 2002 Posts: 1263
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Wed Feb 23, 2005 3:39 pm |
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Quote: | ENGLISH BOB
Why, if you were to point a pistol
at a King or a Queen, sir, I can
assure you your hand would shake
as though palsied...
BARBER
(looking at Bob's
pistols)
I wouldn't point no pistol at
nobody, sir.
ENGLISH BOB
(putting on his frock
coat over his guns)
A wise policy. But if you did,
I can assure you, the sight of
royalty would cause you to
dismiss all thoughts of bloodshed
and stand... in awe.
(pause)
Whereas, a president... I mean,
why not shoot a president? |
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Republican_Man STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Posts: 14823 Location: Classified
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Wed Feb 23, 2005 6:07 pm |
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Kyre wrote: | Quote: | ENGLISH BOB
Why, if you were to point a pistol
at a King or a Queen, sir, I can
assure you your hand would shake
as though palsied...
BARBER
(looking at Bob's
pistols)
I wouldn't point no pistol at
nobody, sir.
ENGLISH BOB
(putting on his frock
coat over his guns)
A wise policy. But if you did,
I can assure you, the sight of
royalty would cause you to
dismiss all thoughts of bloodshed
and stand... in awe.
(pause)
Whereas, a president... I mean,
why not shoot a president? |
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Oh...my...gosh. You cruel, cruel man.
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"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
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Theresa Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001 Posts: 27256 Location: United States of America
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Wed Feb 23, 2005 6:08 pm |
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Zeke Zabertini wrote: | If it is, that's an affront to the Freedom of Information Act. Not that that seems to bother the government much. Anyway, your comparison is skewed and you know it so I won't bother to explain to you why troop movements in sensitive areas and evidence to be presented in a court of law are two completely different things. |
As you clearly could see, I made it as obvious as possible. And let's think, some of the plans the man had access to, the people, etc... The people who observed him, who may they be? Informants? Deep cover operatives? But hey, let's jeopordize their lives because the people want to know.
-------signature-------
Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with our scars
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