The Common Ills: 2 arrests

Friday, January 08, 2016

2 arrests

In an already highly charged political climate, immigration yet again becomes an issue. Adam Goldman (WASHINGTON POST) reports:

Two Palestinian men who were born in Iraq and came to the United States as refugees have been arrested in connection with terrorism investigations, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, 23, of Sacramento, Calif., was charged with making a false statement involving international terrorism; and Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, 24, of Houston, was charged with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State.

Matt Hamilton (LOS ANGELES TIMES) adds, "Each man is scheduled to appear before a federal judge Friday. If convicted of the charge of providing support to terrorists, Al Hardan faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Al-Jayab faces up to eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted."

Two drive-by e-mails insist I won't cover the above because "you're pushing for refugees to come to the United States" and "this hurts your cause."

Sorry, you've mistaken me for someone else.

We deliberately did not take a stand on that issue -- Syrian refugees.

Susan Sarandon did go on THE VIEW and take a stand on that issue.

I'm not Susan.

We didn't take one here.

It's a side issue and we had bigger issues to address.

I also wasn't of the opinion that I knew everything.

We support refugees, yes.

But what happens is what happens.

So we didn't drop the story of the man who killed his wife (and tried to say it was xenophobic American-born citizens targeting his wife for being from Iraq).

Nor did we ignore the story of the Iraqi male who came to the US and ran down his own daughter.

What happens is what happens.

In terms of the above, what's happened is two men have been arrested.

Today, they'll appear in court and enter a plea.

Unless that plea is guilty, they've got the right to be presumed innocent unless/until they are convicted.

We're not going to make this the focus of our day but we're not going to run from noting the story either.

The following community sites -- plus Jody Watley -- updated: