McCain and Graham: Suspect Dzhokar has no rights and should be ‘enemy combatant’
by Patrick Henningsen - 21st Century Wire
The old wounds of 911 and the cryptic calls for legalised torture have once again taken center stage in the American political discourse this week…Seen by some as the poster children for new Senate ‘term limits’, Sens. Lindsey Graham and John McCain are warning against trying the surviving Boston bombing suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, in a court of law, claiming he should be held as an “enemy combatant” instead. They were joined in their call by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH).
Salon reports:McCain and Graham also praised Boston Police for invoking the Orwellian “public safety exception” which allowed them not to read any Miranda Rights to the younger Tsarnaev.
“It is clear the events we have seen over the past few days in Boston were an attempt to kill American citizens and terrorize a major American city,” the four Republicans wrote in a joint statement. “The accused perpetrators of these acts were not common criminals attempting to profit from a criminal enterprise, but terrorists trying to injure, maim, and kill innocent Americans.
“The suspect, based upon his actions, clearly is a good candidate for enemy combatant status. We do not want this suspect to remain silent,” they wrote.
Salon also adds here: “We should be focused on gathering intelligence from this suspect right now that can help our nation understand how this attack occurred and what may follow in the future. That should be our focus, not a future domestic criminal trial that may take years to complete,” the statement said.
Congressman Peter King (R) New York has taken the opportunity of this crisis to renew old Sept 11th called for increased surveillance of Muslims in America. He is arguing, that in wake of the Boston bombings, law enforcement should increase surveillance in Muslim communities, and not to be bound by “political correctness” anymore.
Feds send for Gitmo team to interrogate Boston suspect
Sens. Graham and McCain may get their wish in full, as Obama officials announced yesterday that the 19 year old Tsarnaev will likely be questioned using ‘enhanced interrogation’ by a federal team known as the High Value Detainee Interrogation Group, which includes strongmen from the FBI, CIA, and DOD.
Presently, the suspect is said to be in serious condition held at a heavily guarded Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and interestingly, unable to talk as a result of “injuries to the throat”, as Federal prosecutors await their chance to interview him.
It is not clear as yet, whether or not, or when the suspect will be allowed a lawyer present during questioning.
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