Terrorism in the USA:threat & response

[Ken White]

I don't have stats at hand for that. If you do, present your evidence. You know I'll listen.

Nor do I have stats -- do have two sons who are Cops, two relatives who are prosecutors and one who's a judge. All the legal types have traveled in Europe far more extensively than have I and one lived in France for three years not long ago. My comment is based partly on their experiences related to me and partly on what I read. It's also based partly on long expereicne with the US government and watching that government and its application of legal advice change over the last 30 plus years. I'm comfortable that my comments are reasonably accurate and am entirely too lazy to dig up Stats to validate an opinion.

...Once a case is established in the foreign country, the FBI-DoJ can accept delivery, etc.

All true but not relevant to my point that the European law enforcement approach and ours differ as you acknowledge and they essentially do a better job than we do, not least IMO due to the fact that US giovernmental elements of all types get overly cautious to avoid blame / responsibilty / bad publicity and that the threat of liability is often used as a justification by LE agencies for not doing things -- that in self defense on their part, not as a responsibility evader...

David has the final call on UK issues.[

Who's calling what? I stated an opinion -- does he have a call on my opinion?

Who knew...

Nor does any of that address my principal point -- that the Police have restraints --as they should -- on actions they can take which means they are not the best agency to do counterespionage and/or counter terror work. Since I'm not god and offer no links, that's probably an opinion on my part. Others can differ and that should be acceptable; it certainly is okay with me if others do not agree.

...Anyway, they are well known to me and within my realization.

Well, good, then you knew all along that DoD doesn't do domestic counter terror so I didn't need to say that. I wonder why I did?

Hey, Subotai was a taiga forest boy. I can relate to that.

Certainement. You two should get along swimmingly. In August, for two weeks -- too cold the rest of the year...

[jmm99]

Reference to David's call was with respect to this statement by me:

from JMM
UK is similar to US. The differences favor / unfavor perps are probably a push; except that the UK has more EU conventions, etc. that they take seriously - and I think, make the job tougher as to terrs. David has the final call on UK issues.

If I am wrong on UK issues, I expect David to correct me because he has more expertise. Frankly, it had nothing to do with you or your opinions.

[Ken White]

Reference to David's call was with respect to this statement by me:...If I am wrong on UK issues, I expect David to correct me because he has more expertise. Frankly, it had nothing to do with you or your opinions.

nominally addressed to the three quotes from moi, Eh?

As for rehashing opinions, your or mine; certainly true. I doubt we're entertaining anyone or that either of us is learning a thing...

[davidbfpo]

There has been comment, if not speculation, that in some UK CT arrest operations have gone early because of: a) pressure to act from the USA (who may have originated the information / intelligence), notably cited over the airliner plot known as Operation Overt; b) an assessment that the plot was suffiecently advanced to pose a threat to public safety, e.g. the recent arrests in Manchester and the plot to kidnap a soldier in Birmingham.

Curiously some of the best commentaries on UK CT trials have been the detailed papers by NEFA, a US-based think tank: http://www.nefafoundation.org/ . I know some of their experts act as witnesses here, but the detail is astounding. Yes, all public record.

Clearly there is a price to pay for early intervention; no-one was charged in Manchester and the UK stats on arrests & charges are IMHO not helpful, notably in keeping the support of the wider communities: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/terrorism.html

A contribution to the debate.

davidbfpo