FBI Director Robert Mueller:
“Over the years I have been a prosecutor, and recently as the director of the FBI, I have made it a practice not to comment on the actions of other prosecutors, since only the prosecutor handling the case has all the facts and the law before him in reaching the appropriate decision,” Mueller writes in his letter to MacAskill. “Your decision to release Megrahi causes me to abandon that practice in this case.
“I do so because I am familiar with the facts, and the law, having been the assistant attorney general in charge of the investigation and indictment of Megrahi in 1991. And I do so because I am outraged at your decision, blithely defended on the grounds of ‘compassion.’ “
The LA Times later observes:
Some legal experts have said that compassionate leave for dying inmates is common in Scotland. But others have sharply criticized Scotland and Britain as a whole, suggesting that politics — including access to Libya’s vast supplies of oil — may have played a role in Megrahi’s release.
The possibility that there may be a cynical calculation here in addition to the stated enlightened reason of compassion is upsetting. The hero’s welcome accorded Megrahi reinforces the impression that his release was forgiveness for a crime rather than compassion. Still it’s part of a general trend in the West to downplay the seriousness of terror – especially Arab terror – while Israel’s enemies (and erstwhile friends) find new baseless charges to hurl in its direction.
Now Michael Slackman reports that Ahmadinejad is appointing one of the accused masterminds of the bombing of the Jewish cultural center in Argentina in 1994 to be his defense minister.
The man nominated to serve as Iran’s defense minister is wanted by Interpol in connection with the 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires, confronting Iran with yet another challenge to its international reputation after an electoral dispute undermined its legitimacy at home and abroad.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad nominated Ahmad Vahidi on Wednesday to serve as defense minister when he submitted his list of 21 nominees to Parliament. Mr. Vahidi was the head of the secret Quds Force, an arm of the Revolutionary Guards that carries out operations overseas.
He was one of five Iranian officials sought by Interpol on Argentine charges of “conceiving, planning, financing and executing” the 1994 attack, which killed 85 people and wounded hundreds, said a statement issued by the Anti-Defamation League condemning the nomination.
“[A]nother challenge to its international reputation?” Come on. Why not just write directly, “further eroding the legitimacy of a regime that apparently stole the most recent election?”
I guess Slackman decided that the Interpol warrant wasn’t sufficient indication of Vahidi’s so he raises doubts.
The hand of Tehran was suspected early in the investigation. However, some criminal justice experts have raised questions recently about Iran’s having had a direct role in the attack, saying it was more likely the work of an Iranian proxy group, Hezbollah, and others in South America.
How does Hezbollah’s proxy status undermine the charge of Iranian involvement in the Argentinian terror? Hezbollah answers directly to Iran, so Hezbollah’s involvement in the attack, in no way diminishes Iran’s involvement.
Fortunately, it wasn’t only Israel and Jewish groups that protested this appointment, so did Argentina.
The Argentine chancellery said in a statement the nomination “constitutes an affront to Argentine justice and to the victims of the brutal terrorist attack.”
It added, “The Argentine government demands once again that the Islamic Republic of Iran cooperate fully with Argentine justice, permitting the people accused of participating in the attack against the AMIA to be judged by competent courts of justice.”
The State Department hasn’t been silent either.
At a news briefing, State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly said the United States is troubled by the reported nomination of Vahidi, which like the rest of the new cabinet, awaits approval by the Iranian parliament.
“Clearly if this report is true, and if this man is confirmed as a cabinet minister and he is wanted by Interpol for his involvement in a terrorist act, of course this would be disturbing, but here’s going to be a process in place here. The whole slate has to go before parliament. So before that process plays out we’ll withhold comment on it,” he said.
I would have preferred a more forceful condemnation and it would be appropriate for other members of the administration to speak out. But that’s not going to happen no matter how many times President Obama’s “open hand” is met with a “clenched fist.”
Terror continues to be something that is discouraged but not opposed. Israel, unfortunately has played a role in this.
By making deals for terrorists – whether it was the release of Yassin, the refrigerator bomber, Samir Kuntar – Israel has allowed the rest of the world to be less vigilant. After all, if Israel can forgive those who target it and kill its citizens, how can the rest of the world declare a stance of non-negotiation?
Rather than changing the terrorists and rogue states the forgiveness extended towards them has only served to encourage them. President Ahmadinjad has learned the lesson well.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad chooses for defense minister a man wanted—with good reason—for involvement in the bloody terrorist 1994 attack on Buenos Aires’ Jewish center.
Immediate Result: He will be confirmed unless parliament rejects him for reasons having nothing to do with his involvement in terrorism.
What should happen: Iran declared terrorist state; treated like pariah; total sanctions; consciousness that Tehran’s regime is the biggest threat to world peace and stability since Joe Stalin went to that great Kremlin in the sky.
What does happen?: Business as usual. Growing number of Western intelligentsia describes Israel as terrorist state and treats it like a pariah. I guess the War on Terrorism is really over.
Long-term result: The man who organized the blowing up of hundreds of Jews in Argentina will get the chance to try the same thing to millions of Jews in Israel.
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.