A U.S. CITIZEN WHO WAS RADICALIZED BY MUSLIM EXTREMISTS
AND ACTUALLY WENT TO THE MIDDLE EAST TO HELP AID IN TERRORIST
ATTACKS GEARED TOWARD OUR TROOPS ENDED UP ACTUALLY TURNING ON AL
QAEDA, BECOMING AN INFORMANT FOR THE CIA AND EVEN THOUGH HE SPENT
SOME TIME BEHIND BARS FOR THE CRIMES HE COMMITTED, HE WAS
UNDER
THE IMPRESSION AFTER HE GOT OUT HE WOULD GET SOME WITNESS
PROTECTION OR SOME PROTECTION PROGRAM SO HE WOULD NOT BE
HARMED OR TARGETED BY INDIVIDUALS THAT HE USED TO
WORK WITH WHEN HE WAS A TERRORIST.
NOW THAT HE IS OUT OF PRISON THOUGH, IT TURNS OUT THAT
HE HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY PROTECTION AND IS CONCERNED
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS A SMART IDEA FOR HIM TO AGREE
TO GIVE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION KNOWING THAT HE IS NOT
GOING TO GET THE PROTECTION HE WAS ORIGINALLY PROMISED.
THE STORY IS ABOUT ONE SPECIFIC PERSON BUT UNDERSTAND THAT
THERE ARE BROADER RAMIFICATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO POTENTIAL
INFORMANTS WORKING WITH PROSECUTORS, WORKING WITH
THE CIA AND GIVING IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN REGARD TO
TERRORIST AND TERRORIST PLOTS.
ANA, BEFORE YOU GO INTO THE CONTEXT OF THE STORY I JUST WANT
TO EXPLAIN THAT AT THE END I WILL TELL YOU WHY THEY DID IT
BECAUSE WHEN YOU READ THE STORY YOU ARE LIKE, WHY DID THEY
RENEGE ON THIS GUY, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
THERE'S A VERY REAL POLITICAL REASON WHY THEY DID IT SO I
WILL EXPLAIN LATER.
LET'S START FROM THE BEGINNING.
LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW HE WAS CAPTURED
AND PROSECUTED.
UNDERSTAND THAT HE DIDN'T TURN ON AL QAEDA ON HIS OWN.
HE ACTUALLY GOT CAUGHT WHILE HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND
THEN HE WAS BROUGHT TO THE UNITED STATES AND PROSECUTED.
WHEN HE WAS CAUGHT HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON AL QAEDA
AND GAVE THE PROSECUTORS THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO CAPTURE
OTHER TERRORISTS AND OTHER AND ALSO FIGURE OUT WHICH TERRORIST
PLOTS WERE PLANNED AGAINST THE UNITED STATES AND TROOPS ABROAD.
HERE IS WHAT HE SAID TO THE NEW YORK TIMES:
HE DID GET A PRISON SENTENCE, HE SERVED AND THEN ONE DAY BEFORE
HE WAS GOING TO GET OUT HE WAS INFORMED THAT HE WAS NOT
GOING TO RECEIVE THE PROTECTION THAT HE WAS PROMISED.
WHY?
WHAT REASON DID THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY GAVE
FOR DENYING HIM THIS PROTECTION?
APPARENTLY:
THE JUDGE WAS FURIOUS ABOUT THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION.
HE RECEIVED ANOTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION THAT
INDICATED THAT HE POSED ABSOLUTELY NO THREAT OR RISK TO
THE INDIVIDUALS WHO COULD POTENTIALLY PROTECT HIM BUT IT
DID NOT MATTER, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DID NOT
CHANGE ITS MIND.
THEY DECIDED NOT TO GIVE HIM THE PROTECTION THAT WAS
ORIGINALLY PROMISED TO HIM.
IS A READ THE WHOLE STORY, AT FIRST I WAS WONDERING AND
THEY DON'T REVEAL UNTIL THE END, WHO IS THE ONE WHO ORDERED
THAT HE NOT GET THE PROTECTION?
THE PROSECUTOR WANTED HIM TO GET THE PROTECTION, THE DEFENSE
ATTORNEY WANTED IT.
ALREADY THAT IS IT, WE SHOULD BE DONE.
THE JUDGE ALSO WANTED IT.
THEN WE SHOULD BE TRIPOLI DONE IN THE FBI WORKED ON THE
CASE WANTED HIM TO GET IT, SO WHAT THAT WILL HAPPEN?
WELL, THE HIGHER-UPS IN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ARE THE
ONES WHO AT THE LAST SECOND SAID WE DISAGREE WITH EVERYONE,
WE ARE NOT GIVING HIM WITNESS PROTECTION.
WHY?
IT IS A POLITICAL DECISION.
THEY DON'T WANT TO SEEM LIKE THEY GAVE SOMEONE WHO WAS
IN AL QAEDA WHEN THIS PROTECTION.
IT IS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THEY WANT TO SAY WE ARE
TOUGH ON AL QAEDA AND WE ARE NOT LIKE THE SOFTIES LIKE THE
OBAMA GUYS WHO ARE GOING TO GIVE HIM WITNESS PROTECTION.
WE SHOWED HIM.
NOW LET'S DISSECT HOW STUPID THAT IS.
1ST OF ALL, LET'S BE REALLY CLEAR.
I HAVE NO SYMPATHY FOR VENUS.
THEY LAY IT OUT IN A WAY, THIS POOR GUY, HE GETS INVOLVED,
HE CONVERTED TO ISLAM IN 2004
BECAUSE HE LIKE TO GROW THEM OR SOMETHING.
KNOW, AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS EVEN TRYING TO
ILLUSTRATE IN THAT WAY.
HE WAS A BAD GUY.
HE WASN'T RADICALIZED BY A WOMAN HE MET AT THE MALL, HE HAD
DEEP DISDAIN FOR THE US GOVERNMENT.
HE HAD DEEP DISDAIN FOR OUR MILITARY.
HE ABSOLUTELY DESPISE OUR FOREIGN POLICY, SOMETHING I
CAN RELATE TO BUT OF COURSE, THAT DOES NOT GIVE YOU ANY
TYPE OF WARRANT TO GO OUT THERE AND BE RADICALIZED AND
CARRY OUT TERRORIST ATTACKS.
HE WOULD HELP MEMBERS OF AL QAEDA CARRY OUT VIOLENT ACTIONS
AGAINST OUR MILITARY MEMBERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
HE WAS PLANNING TO BUT NEVER GOT A CHANCE.
THAT IS WHAT THE FBI IN THE PROSECUTOR SAY.
WE HAVE A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE ON THE READING OF THE NEW YORK
TIMES STORY.
I THOUGHT THAT THEY TRIED TO PAINT HIM IN A LITTLE BIT
OF A SYMPATHETIC LIGHT.
I WASN'T BUYING IT BECAUSE LET'S JUST GO OVER WHAT AN IDIOT HE
HAS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS AND A BAD GUY, ONE HE
CONVERTS AND BECOMES A FUNDAMENTALIST.
NO INTEREST, THAT IS MONUMENTALLY STUPID AND MY VIEW
OF THE WORLD AND THEN HE LISTENS TO A RECRUITER
FOR AL QAEDA AND HE HAS LIKE THAT WOULD BE GREAT, THIS
JIHADIST LIVE SOUND SO GLORIOUS AND THEN HE GOES TO PAKISTAN
AND FINDS A IT'S A MISERABLE LIFE.
YOU SCHMUCK.
OF COURSE IT IS A MISERABLE LIFE.
THEY REALLY GET INTO IT, THEY THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO
THERE AND FIGHT LIKE I SEE IN THE MOVIES AND THEN WE ARE
GOING TO WIN OR SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW.
HE IS LIKE A TURNS OUT THAT HE WENT THERE AND THEY WERE ASKED
TO SLEEP IN FLEA INFESTED SLEEPING BAGS.
IT'S NORTHERN WAZIRISTAN.
WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?
HE SAYS THEY GOT BAD FOOD LIKE RICE AND POTATOES,
SOMETHING THAT GAVE HIM DIARRHEA.
YOU ARE GOING TO NORTHERN WAZIRISTAN TO JOIN AL QAEDA.
WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?
AND BY THE WAY, THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE WORST OF IT GOT THE
WORST OF IT SHOULD BE THAT YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO KILL
OTHER HUMAN BEINGS INCLUDING YOUR FORMER COUNTRYMEN.
ALSO ACCORDING TO THE NEW YORK TIMES VENUS SUGGESTED
BOMBING THE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD AS A WAY TO HEARD THE NEW
YORK ECONOMY.
I JUST WANT TO REALLY EMPHASIZE, NO SYMPATHY FOR THIS GUY.
HE IS A BAD GUY.
AND THEN, WHEN THE AMERICANS CAPTURE HIM, HE HAS LIKE THAT
WAS UNCOMFORTABLE OVER THERE, SCREW IT, I WILL GIVE YOU
INFO ON ALL MY FORMER FRIENDS THAT I SPENT A LOT OF TIME
WITH, BONDED WITH, ETC.
AND GO AHEAD AND KILL THEM ALL.
I MEAN LOOK, I'M GLAD HE TURNED ON AL QAEDA AND THERE IS ONE
UPSET HERE FOR THE GOVERNMENT THAT I WILL EXPLAIN IN A SECOND
BUT THIS IS A BAD GUY EVERY WAY YOU SLICE IT.
HAVING SAID THAT, IF YOU DO NOT GIVE HIM WITNESS PROTECTION THAN
THE WORD OF THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING IN THE NEXT
PERSON WHO IS NEGOTIATING FOR WITNESS PROTECTION WILL THING, I
AM NOT GOING TO HELP YOU, NOW WITH THE MOB OR AL QAEDA OR
TERRORISM BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT THE US GOVERNMENT DOES NOT KEEP
ITS WORD AND IS NOT GOING TO PROTECT ME AND I'M GOING TO DIE.
NO DEAL.
THAT IS SUCH A TERRIBLE PRESIDENT.
JUST THINK IT THERE FOR A SECOND INSTEAD OF YOUR OWN STUPID
POLITICAL CALCULATION.
WORRY ABOUT THE COUNTRY INTERNATIONAL SECURITY.
I WILL GIVE YOU ONE REALLY INTERESTING EXAMPLE.
WE CAPTURED NAZIS OBVIOUSLY, SOME HIGH-LEVEL NAZIS
DURING WORLD WAR II AND WE BROUGHT THEM TO AMERICA.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE INTERROGATORS DID?
THEY WATERBOARDED THEM.
NO, THEY DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T WATERBOARD THEM OR TORTURE
THEM.
THEY PLAY PING-PONG WITH THEM AND GAVE THEM STEAK DINNERS.
WHY?
BECAUSE THEY LIKE NAZIS?
NO, BECAUSE THEY WANTED INFORMATION.
THE NAZIS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A TERRIBLE WAR, THEY GET HERE AND
THERE'S NO FLEAS AND THEY GET A NICE DINNER AND THEY ARE LIKE
BOB, YOU ARE A GOOD GUY, I WILL SAY YOU WERE THE U-BOATS ARE.
THAT IS HOW YOU GET INFORMATION.
ACTUALLY, WITH VENUS WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE FBI HAD
TAKEN HIM TO KATZ'S DELICATESSEN IN NEW YORK CITY AND THAT
WAS WHEN HE DECIDED TO START TALKING.
ALL IT TOOK WAS A PASTRAMI SANDWICH TO GET HIM TO START
TALKING WHICH IS KIND OF INCREDIBLE.
I DON'T BLAME HIM ON THAT, THEY ARE GOOD PASTRAMI
SANDWICHES.
THE ONE THING I WANT TO SAY IS EVERYONE WHO IS INVOLVED IN
HIS CASE FROM THE JUDGE TO THE PROSECUTOR TO THE DEFENSE
ATTORNEY, EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN IT AGREED THAT HE
WAS SUCH AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT INFORMANT AND CAPTURING OTHER
EXTREMISTS THAT WANTED TO CAUSE REAL HARM TO AMERICA AND
AMERICANS ABROAD AND SO HAVING INFORMANTS LIKE THAT MATTERS AND
WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IS NOT, IF YOU RENEGE ON YOUR PROMISES
THEN YOU ARE GOING TO DETER OTHER POTENTIAL INFORMANTS FROM
SHARING VITAL INFORMATION ABOUT TERRORISTS AND TERRORIST
ACTIVITIES ABROAD SO THAT IS WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT EVEN
THOUGH THE MORE PRIMITIVE PART OF ME JUST WANTS TO SAY, YOU
DO NOT GET WITNESS PROTECTION, SORRY, YOU ARE A BAD GUY.
THAT IS MY PRIMITIVE PART OF ME BUT ALSO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IN
A RATIONAL WAY AND YOU THINK ABOUT THE BROADER
RAMIFICATIONS, YOU CANNOT RENEGE ON THAT PROMISE.
MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY LIVE IN NEW YORK.
I GREW UP IN NEW JERSEY SO I HAVE NO SYMPATHY WHATSOEVER FOR
THIS GUY BUT WE HAVE TO BE SMART BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE WILL GET
INFORMATION TO PREVENT THOSE BOMBINGS GOT AT THE END OF THE
ARTICLE THEY TALK ABOUT HOW FOR A WHILE THE GOVERNMENT WAS
PAYING FOR THEIR HOTEL ROOM WHEN THEY WERE DECIDING IF HE
WAS GOING TO WITNESS PROTECTION AND THEY STOP PAYING FOR
AND THEN HE HAD GONE FOOD SEEMS BECAUSE HE COULDN'T GET A
JOBÖ OR PROBLEM, HE SHOULD'VE THOUGHT OF BEFORE.
BUT WE LEASING VITAMIN WITNESS PROTECTION SO IT DOESN'T
GET KILLED, IT'S NOT ABOUT HIM, IT'S ABOUT THE NEXT CASES.
THAT IS THE HEART OF THE STORY I JUST WANT TO SAY TO QUICK
ASIDES ABOUT WHAT I LEARNED IN THIS STORY ABOUT HOW
EFFECTIVE OR INEFFECTIVE OUR GOVERNMENT IS.
ONE POSITIVE AND ONE NEGATIVE.
THE POSITIVE IS IT TURNS OUT THAT THEY EXPLAINED IN THE
DRONE STRIKES, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THEY GAVE HIM,
THEY ACTUALLY GOT ALL OF THOSE GUYS THE GUYS HAD BEEN WHAT
DIET IS ALSO FASCINATING INFORMATION ABOUT AL QAEDA.
HE WAS ABOUT A 6 FOOT FIVE KUWAITI GUY.
I LOVE THIS PART OF THE STORY BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU A LOT
OF INSIGHT INTO HOW THEY THINK ABOUT AMERICA.
HE WANTED TO BE A SUICIDE BOMBER BUT IT TURNS OUT HE
REALLY LIKED AMERICAN GOODS.
IN FACT, THE MAIN TERRORIST LEADER THAT THIS GUY
COMMUNICATED WITH LOVE TO MCDONALD'S AND ARBY'S.
AND SO ONE OF THE GUYS HAD STUDIED IN TEXAS AND LOVED
BARBECUE AND THESE REALLY ALL-AMERICAN STUFF BUT THE
KUWAITI GUY THOUGHT WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE A SUICIDE BOMBER?
HE SAID, IT IS A ONE-WAY TICKET TO HEAVEN.
A ONE-WAY TICKET TO PARADISE.
YOU KNOW WHAT IS A ONE-WAY TICKET TO PARADISE?
GO TO TEXAS AND EAT BARBECUE.
THAT IS PARADISE.
IS IT?
I THINK IT IS.
IT TURNS OUT SOMETIMES THE DRONE STRIKES WORK.
THAT IS GOOD NEWS.
THEY KILL A LOT OF CIVILIANS BUT IT IS GOOD TO SEE THAT THEY
ACTUALLY KILL SOME BAD GUYS TOO.
AND BAD NEWS.
THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR OVER A DECADE AND NO
ONE ELSE SEEMS TO NOTICE THIS BUT THE CIA IS TOTALLY
INCOMPETENT SO THIS SCHMUCK OF SCHMUCKS FROM THE MIDDLE OF
NEW YORK WONDERS INTO AL QAEDA AND FINDS OUT SENIOR
LEADERSHIP AND HELPS WIPE THEM OUT.
WHY DON'T YOU SEND IN A SPY TO DO LIKEWISE?
APPARENTLY THEY CAN'T TELL ANYTHING, I DUDE FROM
QUEENS, COME ON IN.
AND HE'S A WHITE GUY WHO CONVERTED.
HISPANIC.
WHATEVER.
FIND A WHITE GUY, BLACK GUY, MUSLIM AMERICAN.
CIA SHOULD'VE INFILTRATED THE HELL OUT OF THEM AND ISIS.
APPARENTLY THEY ARE NOT TAKING ENOUGH RISKS AND EASY FOR
ME TO SAY, YES, BUT I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO BE IN THE CIA.
DO YOUR JOB.