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| Drone Strike on Al Qaeda Scrapped 'Cause Officials Feared Prosecution |
| 2010-01-27 |
| White House lawyers are mulling the legality of proposed attempts to kill an American citizen, Anwar al Awlaki, who is believed to be part of the leadership of the al Qaeda group in Yemen behind a series of terror strikes, according to two people briefed by U.S. intelligence officials. One of the people briefed said opportunities to "take out" Awlaki "may have been missed" because of the legal questions surrounding a lethal attack which would specifically target an American citizen. A spokesperson said the White House declined to comment. While Awlaki has not been charged with any crimes under U.S. law, intelligence officials say recent intelligence reports and electronic intercepts show he played an important role in recruiting the accused "underwear bomber" Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Awlaki also carried on extensive e-mail communication with the accused Fort Hood shooter, Major Nidal Hasan, prior to the attack that killed 12 soldiers and one civilian. According to the people who were briefed on the issue, American officials fear the possibility of criminal prosecution without approval in advance from the White House for a targeted strike against Awlaki. An American citizen with suspected al Qaeda ties was killed in Nov. 2002 in Yemen in a CIA predator strike that was aimed at non-American leaders of al Qaeda. The death of the American citizen, Ahmed Hijazi of Lackawanna, NY, was justified as "collateral damage" at the time because he "was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," said a former U.S. official familiar with the case. In the case of Awlaki, born in New Mexico and a college student in Colorado and California, a strike aimed to kill him would stretch current Presidential authority given to the CIA and the Pentagon to pursue terrorists anywhere in the world. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #5 After the BS surrounding the SEALS and the on again off again threat to prosecute members of GW's team, can you really blame these guys? Bambi's team only has your back when they need it to drive the bus on it for a grease job..... |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2010-01-27 23:15 |
| #4 It seems a remedy would be to prosecute government officials for failing to take action against known threats. Do your primary job of protecting the American people or go to jail. |
| Posted by: ed 2010-01-27 16:47 |
| #3 Clearly this is because he is a double agent posing as an AQ ally while actually being a US ally. AQ bigwigs would be well-advised to stick near him so as to avoid being drone zapped. We take care of our own. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2010-01-27 15:39 |
| #2 The AmCit Radical Cleric in question is an open source identified AQ leadership member, the celric with whom MAJ Hassan of Ft. Hood infamy corresponded, and was in the vicinity of a targeted AQ camp. The analogy would be calling off a B-17 strike on a Nazi headquarters during WWII because an AmCit German Army member is in the area. Obambi himself said we are in a war with AQ, so the cleric is clearly an enemy combatant by his leadership role. But the WH lawyers need him to be exempt from military actions to avoid extra-judicial execution? UFB! |
| Posted by: NoMoreBS 2010-01-27 13:25 |
| #1 An American citizen with suspected al Qaeda ties was killed in Nov. 2002 in Yemen in a CIA predator strike that was aimed at non-American leaders of al Qaeda. The death of the American citizen, Ahmed Hijazi of Lackawanna, NY, was justified as "collateral damage" at the time because he "was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," said a former U.S. official familiar with the case. Ah, the "shit happens" defense. Works for me. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2010-01-27 11:20 |