Tom Ridge told Larry King, “I don’t think ( the failed-christmas-plane-bomber ) deserves the full range of protections of our criminal justice system embodied in the Constitution of the United States,” CNN, 12-29-09.
It bothers me that someone as influential as Tom Ridge would make such a suggestion. Surely the suspect should get all of the rights that our justice system ensures; who knows, maybe the failed-christmas-plane-bomber was forced to do what he did with a threat of violence to his family – it happens. A fair trial can determine if this is the situation.
However, it would be ideal if such a fair trial could be conducted by an international court which could have discovery authority in the various countries involved ( I think that the suspect is from Nigeria ).
Ridge’s comments sound too similar to the story where China tried a suspected British drug smuggler without due process ( qualified representation, etc ), and subsequently executed him;
Tom Ridge’s comments make our country look arrogant and unjust, which fuels an international bitterness towards us, which leads to more terrorists pursuits against us. Nevertheless, I appreciate his gung-ho attitude.
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