Graham: Guns, but not trials, for terror suspects

[DonViejo]

The senator wants to strip terror suspects' right to a trial, but insists on preserving their right to buy a gun

BY ALEX SEITZ-WALD

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is not pleased that the Obama administration decided to prosecute Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in civilian court, even though it would probably be illegal and counterproductive to treat the U.S. citizen as an enemy combatant.

The senator, a lawyer and reserve Air Force JAG officer himself, called for stripping Tsarnaev of his constitutional rights to due process even before the 19-year-old was captured Friday evening. “The accused perpetrators of these acts were not common criminals attempting to profit from a criminal enterprise,” Graham said on Twitter on Friday. “Under the Law of War we can hold #Boston suspect as a potential enemy combatant not entitled to Miranda warnings or appointment of counsel.”

But Graham seems to hold the opposite view when it comes to different constitutional rights for those accused or suspected of terrorism. At a press conference he set up this afternoon to slam the White House on the enemy combatant decision, he was asked about legislation that would stop people on the Terrorist Watch List from buying guns. Here’s his response:

GRAHAM: “I think, anyone who’s on the Terrorist Watch List should not lose their Second Amendment right without the ability to challenge that determination. I think, Senator Kennedy was on the Terrorist Watch List. There’ve been people come up on the watch list. I did not want to make that a — the basis to take someone’s Second Amendment rights away. What I would suggest, is that if you come up on the Terrorist Watch List, you have the ability to say, “No, I’m not a terrorist.” And that would be the proper way to do that.

full article:
http://www.salon.com/2013/04/22/graham_guns_but_not_trails_for_terror_suspects/

[Thinkingabout]

1. Graham is on the side of terrorist plain and simple. The backgrou d check law voted down recently

Would have made all gun sales on internet and gun shows pass a background check. Graham voted against it. Now Graham run your mouth about your failure to cut off gun sales to terrorist. May e you would qualify for enemy combatant.

[hack89]

2. He is right about the terror watch list

you can only lose a civil liberty through due process. Due process means an open process in front of an impartial judge where the burden of proof is on the government and you can challenge any evidence against you. The terror watch list has none of that.

[geckosfeet]

3. They were not eligible in MA. Guns obtained illegaly.

As for a trial, he is getting more justice than his victims.