Althouse: "I'm guilty under U.S. law, but not under the Quran."

October 12, 2011

"I'm guilty under U.S. law, but not under the Quran."

Underwear bomber pleads guilty.

83 comments:

Bayoneteer said...: I'm not a psychiatrist but Mutalib seems mentally unbalanced. It may well be means to a lesser sentence or grounds for appeal.; 10/12/11, 5:06 PM
chickelit said...: "Fruit Of The Doom" bomber.; 10/12/11, 5:07 PM
madAsHell said...: The Religion of Peace?; 10/12/11, 5:12 PM
Anonymous said...: How many millions went to "stimulate" lawyers, just so he could state the obvious in the "proper" venue?

The system worked......; 10/12/11, 5:15 PM
AllenS said...: No, no, no, he's not mentally unbalanced, it's his religion that he's following. That is an understandable logical excuse for his behavior.

Ask him what he thinks about same sex marriage.

I could go on, but you should catch my drift.; 10/12/11, 5:31 PM
Pettifogger said...: "Guilty under U.S. law but not under the Quran?"

An easy call. Convict under U.S. law and leave it to Islamic authorities to acquit under the Quran. That puts the defendant where he belongs and will be clarifying about Islamic authorities if they carry through.; 10/12/11, 5:35 PM
edutcher said...: "Render unto God the things that are God's, and to Caesar the things that are Caesar's."

There's a lot of the New Testament in the Koran. Wonder if that part is.

WV "ciala" When you only need a little something to get you over the finish line.; 10/12/11, 5:42 PM
Anonymous said...: Well good, then.

You can spend time in a U.S. jail, and if Allah wants to pardon you he can send an angel to unlock the door as happened to Peter.; 10/12/11, 5:47 PM
Anonymous said...: good thing he'll have plenty of time to think about just how right he was while in prison.

he better pray for solitary.; 10/12/11, 5:48 PM
Fred4Pres said...: I hate it when I burn a hot dog or sausage on the BBQ...

I wonder if Mutalib has any regrets.; 10/12/11, 5:58 PM
Fred4Pres said...: edutcher, I am pretty sure that the Jesus interaction with the Pharasees over paying taxes is NOT in the Koran.

There is a coin shop near my house that has Roman coins from that era. They are authentic (there are lots of Roman coins in the world). They are not that expensive (a small silver one with Augustus on them is about $100). Copper or bronze coins are considerably less. Which is sort of a cool gift for the religious or historical buff in your life.; 10/12/11, 6:03 PM
caplight said...: Fred4Pres:
I have a Roman "as," a bronze coin struck in the reign of Claudius with his image on it. It's interesting to hold a coin struck when the apostles were alive and preaching.; 10/12/11, 6:13 PM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/12/11, 6:21 PM
Anonymous said...: This dude is absolutely right. He isn't guilty under the Quran. He isn't guilty under Clown Law, either. Or Monkey Butt Law.

But he is guilty under U.S. law. He should be water boarded for all useful information, then killed without mercy. After a fair and just trial with every single possible trace of due process, appeals, etc., of course.; 10/12/11, 6:37 PM
Anonymous said...: Also, the Quran -- if that's the spelling du jour -- seems to be the opposite of Unto Caesar. My impression is that it is very totalitarian.; 10/12/11, 6:40 PM
Amartel said...: Yet another argument against Sharia law.

Thanks, Underwear Bomber!; 10/12/11, 6:48 PM
Anonymous said...: He's right. U.S. law is one thing, and the law of Muslims is another.

Unfortunately, the Democrats and Republicans have both debased U.S. law, and will continue to do so until all semblance of liberty and freedom are eliminated.

Then U.S. law will be just like Muslim law, and Althouse won't have such a snazzy quote to use as a post title.; 10/12/11, 7:08 PM
Tyrone Slothrop said...: I bet a good Sharia prosecutor could convict him under Sharia, too.; 10/12/11, 7:29 PM
Leland said...: Agree with AllenS and Joe. The guy is far from mentally unbalanced. He's making a logical argument for the belief he has. You can disagree with the belief, but to him, you'd be a fool. And give the guy what he wants. Find him guilty of US law and let his god sort him out later. Easy enough. I'm surprised this hasn't gone to the jury yet.; 10/12/11, 7:33 PM
Anonymous said...: I'm surprised this hasn't gone to the jury yet.

Cases where the defendant pleads guilty do not typically go anywhere near a jury. What would be the point of that?; 10/12/11, 7:40 PM
Patrick said...: I'm guilty under the Quran, but not under US law. Just for living.; 10/12/11, 7:44 PM
Ralph L said...: So let's put him under a few hundred Qurans.; 10/12/11, 7:47 PM
A. Shmendrik said...: Works for me.; 10/12/11, 7:48 PM
Peter V. Bella said...: @ Seven

Monkey Butt law? That is a good one.; 10/12/11, 7:53 PM
Beldar said...: I will give 10 to 1 odds that within eighteen months, this guy will have a new batch of lawyers whom he'll authorize to try to get his plea withdrawn.; 10/12/11, 7:59 PM
Peano said...: Non sequitur of the year:

"Contrary to what some have claimed, today's plea removes any doubt that our courts are one of the most effective tools we have to fight terrorism and keep the American people safe," U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.; 10/12/11, 8:01 PM
Cedarford said...: None of these Islamoids consider themselves criminals. They consider themselves jihadis that are bound only by Qu'ranic rules of warfare. Which don't accept the Hague and Geneva Conventions as legitimate, or any Western or Asian law structure.

They accept they are unlawful enemy combatants that can legitimately be killed by the enemy for violating norms of warfare - same as any spy or saboteur. But from their perspective, they are no more criminal than Nathan Hale or Soviet partisans violating Occupation Laws of the Reich. Or a US spec ops team dressed in Pashtun attire for infiltrating Taliban positions.

And much of Islam shares that view. Just as we in the West believe an Afghan or Iranian woman to be stoned to death as a criminal under Sharia for adultery - is no criminal.

That makes the criminal justice system a complete misfit for Islamoid jihadis. They are unlawful enemy combatants that both sides agree commit transgressions against the norms of war in order to gain an advantage.; 10/12/11, 8:04 PM
Anonymous said...: Good enough for me.; 10/12/11, 8:05 PM
Beldar said...: And I'll give 8 to 1 odds that he'll allege that his plea was coerced through "torture."

I'm not predicting that he'll win, mind you -- the odds against that are better than 50 to 1.

At the moment he was read his Miranda rights, an irretrievable opportunity vanished — the opportunity to ensure (at our leisure) that we'd gotten from him all of the actionable intelligence that he was capable of giving. Obama's compulsion to score political points against the Bush administration overrode that possibility, however.; 10/12/11, 8:06 PM
Bender said...: I will give 10 to 1 odds that within eighteen months, this guy will have a new batch of lawyers whom he'll authorize to try to get his plea withdrawn

More likely, he will NOT authorize them to do anything. Rather, there will be a batch of lawyers who will interject themselves into the case on their own, without any authority, and claim that it was unjust, that he is a victim, etc.; 10/12/11, 8:07 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: "I'm guilty under U.S. law, but not under the Quran."

Great. You "got" it. Works for me. Bye,....; 10/12/11, 8:09 PM
Anonymous said...: Just got out of a WH session at the K-street shindig. The only way the best POTUS team (current) can lose is if the GOP ticket is: Romney/Bachmann.

This scares everyone at WH. But, it will not happen. GOP will nominate Perry, right?; 10/12/11, 8:12 PM
The Drill SGT said...: KenK said...
I'm not a psychiatrist but Mutalib seems mentally unbalanced. It may well be means to a lesser sentence or grounds for appeal

Because he's either unbalanced OR a true believer, he's a danger to society and needs to be locked up.

Clearly, he isn't repentant.

@Beldar, yeah, incompetent counsel plea for sure. The torture one won't fly, given that rapid Miranda (50 minutes after getting yanked off the plane, with cola soaked undies...; 10/12/11, 8:13 PM
chickelit said...: Cedarford wrote: That makes the criminal justice system a complete misfit for Islamoid jihadis.

The Brits thought they could stamp out things like bride burning in India via their imposed criminal justice system. It didn't work.; 10/12/11, 8:16 PM
chickelit said...: America's Politico wrote This scares everyone at WH. But, it will not happen. GOP will nominate Perry, right?

Please tell your K-street buddies that the primaries are in the spring of '12 and that there are plenty of messes to clean up in aisle 11.; 10/12/11, 8:20 PM
Anonymous said...: Bender -- Everyone deserves quailty legal representation in criminal court. Everyone.

That's another reason to remove all this from criminal court whenever possible, but not a reason to be upset or angry when people get representation. It's got to be all or nothing with civil rights.; 10/12/11, 8:23 PM
Anonymous said...: ChickenLittle: My friends in K-street and at WH have contributed to Perry campaign (via third parties). They want Perry as the nominee. They can then wipe the USA-floor with this dinosaur. The only GOP candidate that scares them is Romney - he is smart, talks well, has experience in private and public sectors. He can scarp through a victory. With Bachmann as a VP, GOP will get more women votes - that is a disaster # 2. So, re-elect the POTUS team is doing what it can to undermine them. The Obamacare from Romneycare story is just the beginning. Romney is finished. GOP should just make the Perry their nominee. Re-elect POTUS.; 10/12/11, 8:29 PM
deborah said...: Bachmann as Romney's VP would comfort women and evangelicals...; 10/12/11, 8:35 PM
Leland said...: 7M, he plead not guilty. He's trying for a jury nullification.; 10/12/11, 8:41 PM
Anonymous said...: Leland --

DETROIT—A Nigerian admitted in federal court to trying to blow up a jetliner on Christmas Day 2009 by detonating explosives hidden in his underwear, bringing an end to his trial on its second day.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab pleaded guilty Wednesday to all eight counts against him in U.S. district court in Detroit, including attempted murder and the attempted downing of an airplane over American airspace. Mr. Abdulmutallab, the well-traveled, 25-year-old son of a wealthy banker, called the explosive device he ignited a "blessed weapon." His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 12.; 10/12/11, 8:45 PM
Blogger Account said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/12/11, 8:57 PM
Anonymous said...: Deborah: Yes, you got it. If Romney wins the nomination and selects Bachmann, the POTUS (the best in our history) is a toast. The campaign to re-elect knows it. The K-street knows it. The WH knows it. The problem is that they believe that GOP will nominate Perry. Thus, everyone is incredibly anxious at the happy hours. I mean even my hot date was worried about Perry's performance. She was like talking to the TV: "Get Romney". When Romney asked Bachmann the question, everyone was totally screaming. They are scared....; 10/12/11, 8:58 PM
Holmes said...: "Be it so. This burning of widows is your custom; prepare the funeral pile. But my nation has also a custom. When men burn women alive we hang them, and confiscate all their property. My carpenters shall therefore erect gibbets on which to hang all concerned when the widow is consumed. Let us all act according to national customs." -Charles James Napier; 10/12/11, 9:04 PM
Paul said...: ""I'm guilty under U.S. law, but not under the Quran.""

He is guilty as hell. So send him to hell.

Maybe he can find his 73 virgins there.; 10/12/11, 9:12 PM
Alex said...: Then U.S. law will be just like Muslim law, and Althouse won't have such a snazzy quote to use as a post title.

Dead Julius - more concerned with how he can find ways to defuse that horrible right-winger Ann Althouse then defending the nation against the Islamic onslaught. He really has his priorities in order!; 10/12/11, 9:36 PM
Alex said...: When it comes to Muslims I can see the leftist pattern since forever. Their #1 priority is defending the Muslims against the evil, white Reich-wingers and Zionazis.; 10/12/11, 9:40 PM
Wince said...: Appropriate sentencing options:

The Atomic Wedgie entails hoisting the waistband of the receiver's underwear up and over their head.

The Melvin is a variant where the victim's underwear is pulled up from the front, to cause injury, or, at least, severe pain to the victim's genitals. The female variant is sometimes called a Minerva.

The Hanging Wedgie is a variant in which the victim is hung from his or her underwear, elevated above the ground.; 10/12/11, 9:44 PM
kimsch said...: He can't try ineffective counsel because he represented himself. He fired the "team" of lawyers he had and wouldn't listen to the one that the court demanded he have.

So, if he tries ineffective counsel he'd be like the "definition of chutzpah" guy who asked the court's mercy on his sentence for killing his parents since he was now an orphan.; 10/12/11, 9:51 PM
Bayoneteer said...: Not a lawyer so just asking: If you plead guilty can you appeal?; 10/12/11, 9:53 PM
Anonymous said...: Sure you can appeal. Not sure how far you'd get.; 10/12/11, 10:08 PM
Cedarford said...: In other news, Drudge links to "Investor" talking about a Wikileaks cable that showed Obama sought to get Japanese authorities to sanction a visit to Hiroshima, where he would apologize to Japan for America using the atom bomb.

"A heretofore secret cable dated Sept. 3, 2009, was recently released by WikiLeaks. Sent to Secretary of State Clinton, it reported Japan's Vice Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka telling U.S. Ambassador John Roos that "the idea of President Obama visiting Hiroshima to apologize for the atomic bombing during World War II is a 'nonstarter.'"

The Japanese feared the apology would be exploited by anti-nuclear groups and those opposed to the defensive alliance between Japan SDF and the U.S.
Obama's motive was to once again apologize; 10/12/11, 10:09 PM
Peter V. Bella said...: Can we get AP convicted under the law of stupid annoyance? He is an insufferable stupid squib.; 10/12/11, 10:14 PM
Methadras said...: How many more ways can it be seen that we are already living under some semblance of sharia law already?; 10/12/11, 10:20 PM
Bender said...: One of the most annoying things is when someone tries to tell you your job.

I know what rights defendants have Seven. I've been representing them for many, many years.

But a lawyer does NOT have the right to be an intermeddler. He cannot simply inject himself into a case on behalf of a defendant. But that is exactly what a great many attorneys have done in these terrorism cases -- without any authorization from the defendant himself, they presume to file pleadings and motions on his behalf, often raising the most frivolous of claims.

This has nothing to do with the Sixth Amendment right to representation. It is about political activists using these defendants to join in the fight against the United States themselves.; 10/12/11, 10:21 PM
deborah said...: Well, Peter, he finally said something logical.; 10/12/11, 10:34 PM
David53 said...: He should be water boarded for all useful information, then killed without mercy.

He will fit right in at ADMAX. What a terrible way to live the rest of your life.; 10/12/11, 10:42 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "but not under the Quran."

Well, that rag also promises a bunch of virgins, as a reward for murder. So, I wouldn't pay it much attention.

But, it makes perfect sense if your sacred scripture says that I can be the god of my own planet.; 10/12/11, 10:46 PM
Anonymous said...: PBJ -- for 20 year Obam went to a church where they believe that God impregnated a human who gave birth to a divine son who later appeared as a ghost.

That's fine right?; 10/12/11, 10:55 PM
Michael McNeil said...: I'm guilty under the Quran, but not under US law. Just for living.

You may not be guilty under U.S. law “just for living,” but you (and the rest of us) are surely guilty of violating some of the multiplicity of federal laws — probably including felonies.; 10/12/11, 11:11 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Seven Machos said...
PBJ -- for 20 year Obam went to a church where they believe that God impregnated a human who gave birth to a divine son who later appeared as a ghost.

That's fine right?

That part of Obama's church going I do not have a problem with (If you disagree fair enough, but how does having that belief hurt you?). My problems with Rev. Wright were not that aspect of his beliefs.

And radical Islam? Yeah, I have a problem with a belief system that justifies killing 3000 civilians as something Allah wishes.; 10/12/11, 11:27 PM
Quaestor said...: doborah wrote:
Bachmann as Romney's VP would comfort women and evangelicals...

Do not, under any circumstances, feed the politico. The politico is a rare and vanishing protected species with a very delicate constitution and an unpredictable disposition. Persons who have attempted to feed the politico have caused serious disruptions to the politico's digestive process, and occasionally such feeding has caused the politico to go on a rampage. Repeat, never feed the politico -- or if you must do, count your fingers.; 10/12/11, 11:37 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Everyone is guilty of something under U.S. law.

And sharia too.; 10/12/11, 11:55 PM
Carnifex said...: @ America's Politico

You're funny.; 10/13/11, 12:17 AM
chickelit said...: OT, but here's a rational outcome of Althouse's "rational choice" not foreseeing a consequence of his rational war: link; 10/13/11, 12:19 AM
chickelit said...: I can't believe that the media is protecting Eric Holder.; 10/13/11, 12:20 AM
Anonymous said...: Trey Smith Blog

Hi Anne,This is a really good read for me, Must admit that you are one of the best blogger I ever saw.Thanks for posting this informative article.; 10/13/11, 4:49 AM
A. Shmendrik said...: NotquiteunBuckley said...
Everyone is guilty of something under U.S. law.

Yeah, but we're not telling. And the opposite of not telling is burning your genitals off in the cabin of a commercial airliner in flight.; 10/13/11, 7:40 AM
Original Mike said...: "Fruit Of The Doom" bomber.

Mark Styen called him the "Knicker Bomber".; 10/13/11, 7:41 AM
Original Mike said...: "...but not under the Quran."

Like we care?; 10/13/11, 7:41 AM
Tibore said...: ""I'm guilty under U.S. law, but not under the Quran."

My God, that idiot doesn't even know his own religion. No, Farouk, you ARE guilty. I'm not about to absolve a religion that's been the cause of so much suffering in the 20th century and has been the inspiration for some of the most evil people since the repressive regimes of Cambodia, early Soviet Union, and (at risk of Godwinning) 1930's Germany, but at the same time I can read the prohibition just as well as anyone else. And you're wrong, Farouk. Wrong, misguided, and stupid.; 10/13/11, 8:02 AM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/13/11, 8:03 AM
Fred4Pres said...: Sixty, so we have jonalyndislag doing his BS spamming, but no Trooper York or Crack anymore?; 10/13/11, 8:09 AM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/13/11, 8:22 AM
Sprezzatura said...: Seven,

That was my real point.

I'm not denying that all of the Bible based religions have problematic (by our standards) scripture.

My point is that it's perfectly reasonable to criticize the phase-three Bible folks when they go about murdering people. Therefore, I think I should be able to criticize the phase-four Bible folks. Obviously they don't kill folks, so the only justified criticism would be much less substantial compared to their phase-three neo-Biblists. But, it should be acceptable to note that they are NOT phase-two Bible folks (aka Christians). Distinguishing these religions should not be "off the table."

And, obviously, phase-one and -two Bible followers are also ripe for criticism of various sorts.; 10/13/11, 8:36 AM
Fred4Pres said...: Sixty, I did not realize you had that much baggage about him (I thought Titus was the one who annoyed you). Sorry, I miss Crack. We need someone rallying against the New Agers.; 10/13/11, 8:38 AM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/13/11, 8:44 AM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/13/11, 8:51 AM
J said...: "Slang--the grunt of the human hog" (Bierce)

Grunt on Hoghouse; 10/13/11, 9:30 AM
Leland said...: Okay 7M, you got me. On the second day of his trial by a jury, Umar pleaded guilty. Had his initial plea been guilty, then you are correct: it never would have gone to a jury. But since he plead guilty in front of the jury, well...

I'm sorry, I was still working on the news from 24 hours prior in which his plea was still "not guilty". I should have know you were all knowing. Indeed, now that he has changed his plea, the jury is no longer necessary.; 10/13/11, 10:01 AM
Anonymous said...: jonalyndislag --

"Hi Anne,This is a really good read for me, Must admit that you are one of the best blogger I ever saw.Thanks for posting this informative article."

If you really thought that and appreciated her blog you would: 1) Know she prefers Althouse to Anne, 2) Know it's rude to advertise an ad site on another's blog and 3) You're lying your ass off, you're just a drive-by advert space thief.; 10/13/11, 11:25 AM
Peter said...: ‘edutcher’ said, “ "Render unto God the things that are God's, and to Caesar the things that are Caesar's."There's a lot of the New Testament in the Koran. Wonder if that part is.”

Since the Prophet WAS Caesar, I don’t see how that would translate. When the supreme religious leader is also the supreme military and polticial leader, how exactly would you make a distinction between God and Caesar?; 10/13/11, 12:31 PM
David R. Graham said...: @ Fred4Pres - Crack commented on this set. I for one am glad to see him comment again.

Indications are the knicker bomber was tasked by the so-called American Koran scholar who lately went under an air-to-ground missile. So the bomber had assurance the Koran authorized his mission.

Amusing to me to see struggles with comparisons of Bible and Koran in these comments. Their parents and teachers have filled the minds of Americans and so many others with tons and tons of lumber. It's a wonder anyone wants to talk bearing the weight and intractable fixity of those loads.; 10/13/11, 2:05 PM
Anonymous said...: It's amazing how many people repeat the false claim that there is a lot of similarity between the New Testament and the Koran. It's one of those "things you know that just ain't so".

The Koran is to the New Testament like recent Hollywood movies (Thor, King Arthur, Lightning Thief, etc.) are to the classical epics from which they take their characters: some of the dramatis personae have the same names, but the story is totally different.; 10/13/11, 4:52 PM