In France: terrorist catch and release
Adel Kermiche, the young ISIS sympathizer in France who killed an 84-year old priest by slitting his throat as he performed mass, previously had been detained for wishing to go to Syria. Kermiche was also wearing electronic monitoring, so the question immediately arises as to how he was allowed the freedom to commit this act of terrorism.
The answers are hardly clear, but they are coming into better focus [emphasis mine]:
Kermiche, 19, began making contact with radicals on the internet after the Charlie Hebdo and kosher supermarket attacks in January 2015 and came to authorities’ attention when he tried to help a teenager from Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray join Isil.
He also twice attempted to go to Syria himself, but was arrested once in Munich and later sent back from Turkey to Geneva, where he was charged with “criminal association in connection with terrorism”.
He was returned to France and held in custody for 10 months. In March this year, he was released and tagged, after the public prosecutor appealed unsuccessfully against his release…
His mother told a Swiss newspaper in May last year that his transformation into a radical happened very rapidly.
Previously he was a “happy kid who liked music and going out with girls”. But he quickly became a recluse, only going out to the mosque.
“It was as if he was under a spell, in a sect,” said his mother, a teacher. His family and his brothers and sisters tried to reason with him and keep an eye on him.
So, we have a correction system that’s clearly inadequate to (among other things) the task of dealing with terrorist recruitment of the Muslim youth of Europe who had been relatively Westernized till now. ISIS is especially interested in this population, who are not recent arrivals but who either were born in Europe or mostly raised there. If you believe the Kermiche family’s story—and I do (one reason being that they had been the ones to inform on Adel to authorities, and that had resulted in his original detainment for trying to go to Syria)—then his indoctrination into ISIS beliefs bears some resemblance to cult recruitment (he was apparently 18 years old at the time).
Kermiche’s parents’ and family’s actions in the matter—to try stop him—seem somewhat more explicable than those of the French authorities who let him go and decided to keep him free of electronic surveillance for several hours a day. I can imagine what their arguments were—“he hasn’t done anything dangerous” might have been one of them. But jihadi sympathies and terrorist contacts are not like ordinary crimes and should not be treated as such.
France, most of Europe, and the US have all been having internal battles on just how a person such as Kermiche (prior to the murder) and other radicalized Muslim youth should be dealt with. Our own election very much turns on these issues, which are a big element in Donald Trump’s appeal. What Trump would actually do differently, what he even would have the power to do differently, and what would be most desirable to do, are huge unknowns and huge matters of disagreement and debate. But incidents such as the priest’s murder in Rouen crystallize what we have been and will be arguing about, and how high the stakes are.
Treason: “The betrayal of one’s own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.” Why can’t Western countries understand that ISIS and other Islamic terror groups are our enemies and that anyone who attempts to aid them, join them, or give comfort to them is a traitor – a crime for which they can be arrested, tried, and punished. It appears to me to be a no brainer. But then, I am a knuckle-dragging bitter clinger, so there’s that.
Neo, the priest was saying Mass not performing it. I fear we will see more of this until the Western leaders grow some spines.
J.J. has it.
There is much talk of war; most of it frivolous, because there is no stomach in the west for the logical actions necessary to prosecute a war. To successfully fight a war, a society has to exhibit a certain ruthlessness. In this environment, that trait must be balanced because lines are blurred; but debate on the correct balance isn’t even allowed.
Well, I guess the question for each is: Does your allegiance to “pluralism” – supposing that you have one – extend to the point of offering up your life on the altar of solidarity with people “among us” who broadly admit to desiring that, and plotting as to how, our life-ways will be transformed, our historic liberties will be disposed of, and how we shall come to live under Sharia “law”?
If the answer is “yes”, then I can see how it would be something of a dilemma. If “yes”, then life in America is a kind of game where the rules and civic virtue demand that you allow people a chance to slit your throat, on the chance that they may decide not to do so after all; ‘because that is what it is to be a modern American and enlightened’ and that is more worth dying for than your freedom and your family’s safety.
To successfully fight a war, a society has to exhibit a certain ruthlessness. In this environment, that trait must be balanced because lines are blurred; but debate on the correct balance isn’t even allowed.
The ALternative Right and Trum’s backers are certainly “ruthless” enough against anyone in their way. That may be a start.
Ymarsakar:
“The ALternative Right and Trum’s backers are certainly “ruthless” enough against anyone in their way. That may be a start.”
That brings to mind the concern that Russia, which at minimum is a rhetorical source for “the ALternative Right and Trum’s backers”, is part of a coalition that is using ISIS to achieve their other ends:
https://kyleorton1991.wordpress.com/2016/06/21/russia-needs-the-islamic-state-to-save-assad/
It’s worked. Obama has shaped US foreign policy to that strategy and Trump promises to pick up from Obama.
When we hear French President Hollande assert that France is at war with ISIS and other terror actors, do we not also recollect that period from Sept. 1939 to April 1940 which has been dubbed the period of the Phony War? And do we not then necessarily wonder: “Does Hollande recollect?”
“What Trump would actually do differently, what he even would have the power to do differently, and what would be most desirable to do, are huge unknowns and huge matters of disagreement and debate.”
Absent consequence, what would be most desirable to do cannot be acted upon. Those responsible for Kermiche’s release and freedom to act have an innocent man’s blood on their hands but will suffer no consequence.
The disagreement prevents any determination of what to do, so the only unknown is how many have to die before survival compels agreement.
That applies to us as well as they.
Eric, I don’t think that’s how it is. Mostly because Turkey is with IS and Turkey is not going to allow Russia to expand or do anything for Christians.
G6 sent me a link about France, which I thought was interesting.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/693674/marion-le-pen-enrol-army-france-national-front-islamism
Back when I read the documentary vid about Jean De Arc, it mentioned on wikipedia that the National Front in France also likes Jean De Arc. And the National Front is lead by Marine Le Pen, an elderly woman now, who deposed her “nationalist” and probably racist patriarch, who once led the National Front.
Marion, the woman in the article, is her niece. Big family business.
Trum may be capable of turning the RNC into their personal clan party too. It would be safer for his neck than trusting his Democrat pals, or RNC rivals.
After reading the article, here are some tentative impressions.
1. Russia has learned counter insurgency tricks from the US military, but because they lack a ground force, they are flowing terrorists into IS to ensure they know whom to kill when the time comes.
2. The Hussein Obola backed “moderates” in Syria, are AQ or IS affiliated, and they sell Western weapons to AQ. Russia by crippling them, ensures that the US supply of arms to AQ and Islamic State can not function. This is a serious threat to Russians, because of US supplied stinger missile launchers. Sufficient stinger missile launchers will wipe out Russia’s air force in a few months. It’s also something they learned in Afghanistan.
3. Russia absolutely needs the Syrian regime to stabilize, otherwise they lose their pretext, their bases, and their secondary logistics hub aside from Sevastopol.
The Russians are being rather overly clever, but eradicating Hussein Obola’s Islam allies in the region was always going to take a certain amount of risk and deception on the international stage. My concern is whether the Russians are competent enough to pull this off, absent US military advisers.
And to have a large majority of the population that thinks that the society is worth fighting to preserve and perhaps even die for.
Know many men who would even pick up a phone to save the life of Debbie Wassermann Schultz if she was being beaten in the street by jihadists?
And from the other side we already know of Michael Moore’s baffled disappointment that the 9/11 attack was not directed against what he considered to be more deserving targets in the Midwest. So, — him too.
DNW,
If DWS was attacked by jihadists or anyone else on my street I would come to her assistance. Yes, I know it was a rhetorical question, but people like DWS, clueless as they may be, should be assisted when attacked. Eastern Europe is not happy with the alien invasion. Of all of Western Europe, France will be the first to denounce PC multiculturalism and start whistling the La Marseillaise.
Something that popped up in the news today –
In response to the attack on the church in France, Marine Le Pen (who might be as bad as the news media make her out to be) announced that she’d joined the military reserves.
junior,
The National Front is not far right by our standards. They are right of center. Think Cruz when you think of Marine Le Pen. The NF seek to preserve traditional French culture, and are gaining supporters. BTW, it was not Marine who announced she would join the reserves; it was her 26 year old niece, Marion, who is a beautiful woman. I think she is trying to shame young French men into joining.
Parker –
As Sarah Hoyt (who grew up in Portugal) is fond of pointing out, “political right” in the US and “political right” in Europe are very different things.
As for Ms. Le Pen, while I suspect that the media makes her out to be a much bigger monster than she is (and at the very least, it’s clear that her public statements are nothing like her father’s), I’ve heard enough to make me quite cautious about the leadership of groups like the National Front and PEGIDA.
Correction –
An article I just saw indicated that it was actually Marine’s *neice*, Marion Le Pen, who has joined the Military Reserve.
junior,
I agree it is best to be cautious about political groups in Europe. I have several close French friends who keep me abreast of what they see happening on the ground. Anecdotal evidence yes, but I trust them more than I trust the msm or the msm across the water. Something is happening in France beneath the headlines and op-eds on both sides of the water. There exists a a smoldering resentment in France. I know not where that leads.
What I do suspect is that curbing and perhaps eventually eliminating the islamic intifada in Europe and here at home risks ugly solutions. Given the rotten head of the fish in DC, it is likely in the end to be ugly, although necessary.
Parker –
I don’t doubt that you’re right about things under the surface. But it’s the leadership of those groups that has me concerned. There are clearly a number of level-headed people who’ve correctly identified a problem, and as a result are lending their support to groups like National Front that are opposed to that problem. The question is – is the leadership of those groups only focused on the problem in question, and suffering from the usual slanders by the media? Or are they hiding a darker agenda? And unfortunately, I’m too distant to really say.
FWIW, Marine seems to have a sharper head on her shoulders than her father, and might very well be nothing more than she claims to be.
PEGIDA’s leadership actively worries me, though.
junior,
I can find no fault with your call for caution on our side of the pond. But right now we are not on the front line of the war between WC and islam. They are, whether or not their PC elites wish to acknowledge there is a war. Coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
“If DWS was attacked by jihadists or anyone else on my street I would come to her assistance” – parker
Contrast with this…
“Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.” – trump
Presumably, trump was “joking”. But, that doesn’t sound very “America First”, does it?
Something is wrong when we will only be concerned if the person being wronged is someone we like or agree with.
If the French remember their past (the Algerian civil war) and apply themselves the Islamists may find France to be a bad place to die.
“How Insurgencies are Broken”
http://weaponsman.com/?p=33671#comments
Think data mining, pattern analysis and statistical prediction of behavior when applied to “insurgents” and threats to the state.
A point of caution for all those in this country who assume a civil war is inevitable because other paths doomed to fail, and that a civil war ill lead to a reduction in tyranny.
It takes a special sort of genius to release some wannabe jihadi, who tried to join ISIS twice, from prison early to house arrest. Complete with unsupervised hours-long breaks from that house arrest.
In a house essentially next door to a Catholic church on an ISIS hit list.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3708394/Two-men-armed-knives-people-hostage-French-church.html
“The Catholic church involved was on a terrorist ‘hit list’ found in the apartment of a suspected ISIS extremist last April.”
Oh, btw, this Kermiche kid was still facing terror charges. Again, sheer genius.
Big Maq said:
“Presumably, trump was ‘joking’. But, that doesn’t sound very ‘America First’, does it?”
Dude, no harm no foul. After all Hillary and her assorted minions, court toadies, and throne sniffers assure us those 30k+ emails were entirely personal and only discuss yoga routines, Chelsea’s wedding plans, and condolences after her mom died.
You aren’t suggesting that Hillary would be lying to us about the content of those deleted emails, are you? And you should also know that Trump was talking about emails that are already stolen, if Putin has them, since those servers have been in some secure FBI lock-up somewhere a long way from any internet connection and thus haven’t been hackable for at least a year.
So if the content of those emails are actually as damaging as the lefty panic at the DNC and the Clinton campaign seem to indicate, I’d say in this case Trump is actually the America-firster. The damage has already been done, and if that’s the case we should know about it. Hell, everybody else in the world who means to do us harm does. Hillary Clinton who gave those emails away as party favors to every bad actor in the world by stealing them from the State Dept. (if they’re work related let alone classified they’re government property and now so are her servers) and ultimately stealing them from the tax payer and putting them at dire risk on her basement server(s) was the one shoving America’s interests under the bus.
Big Maq-What you cite is actually a case of Trump serving the purpose of truth. The DNC can’t have it both ways, the already hacked emails were personal, or they represent a national security breach. One or the other. If Russia or China or ? have these, they can use these to blackmail a President Hillary. I can’t imagine Jeb! broaching this subject at this point. It probably would have been more like “I want to congratulate Hillary on being the first female nominee for President” going by mainstream RNC past behavior. Losing behavior on policy terms from where I sit.
“Yes, I know it was a rhetorical question, but people like DWS, clueless as they may be, should be assisted when attacked.”
Yeah, well, I don’t think she is “clueless”.
Trum focusing on Clinton is what he is supposed to be doing. Maybe his clan finally talked sense into their Patriarch.
As has been said of US anti-terror work, miss something and a dozen innocents die…meh. Look crossways at a mosque, lose your job.
If you have a strong stomach, search for
“rotherham”, and then add to it “rock the multicultural boat”.
The morons at the top think they can control what’s bubbling underneath. It would be better if they made that unnecessary, but….the morons at the top always think they know better.
The bubbling-up seems to be, from what I see in the news, not restricted to France.