Dutch clear 5 of 12 detained Somalis of terrorism....

[The Straight Story]

Dutch clear 5 of 12 detained Somalis of terrorism


AMSTERDAM -- Dutch authorities on Sunday Dutch cleared five of the 12 Somali men who were detained Christmas Eve on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack in the Netherlands.

Prosecutors said they had no evidence of criminal involvement against the five men, but the investigation of the other seven was continuing.

They must decide by Tuesday whether to bring the remaining suspects before a judge or let them go.

The men were picked up in Rotterdam after a tip from intelligence services that an attack may be imminent. There was no information on the alleged target, although Rotterdam is one of Europe's biggest commercial hubs with a huge port and large oil and gas storage facilities.

Three of the detainees who had no valid residency permits were turned over to immigration police, prosecutors said. Two of them were residents of Denmark and the residency of the third was not established. Two Dutch residents were released.

On Friday, police raided an internet cafe, four homes and two motel rooms but found no weapons or explosives.

Authorities said they cannot know for sure if they prevented a terrorist assault, but they did not want to take any risks. "What we did is take away the threat that was formed by these people," prosecutor Gerrit van der Burg said Saturday on national television.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/26/AR2010122601028.html

Don't know if they prevented attack, raids find no weapons/etc, about 1/2 arrested let go, but: "What we did is take away the threat that was formed by these people,"

[RandomThoughts]

1. If they can substanciate a threat exist, that makes sense.

If you support status quo, all change would be a threat wouldn't it.

Regardless of moral component or not.


Disclaimer, I don't agree with terrorist, about function not data, Because many in bad systems call better ideas a threat.


All you have to do is say someone is a threat, and then you can justify wrong action against them. What if you have to show they are a threat in a court of law. Then you also have to be just.


Who decides who is a threat is more important then removing threats. Again you can't see 'a threat' without knowing what it 'threatens'