" baby formula of mass destruction "

[elwoodblues]

From Drudge:
[ QUOTE ]



Patriot Act Catches a Baby-Food Thief
Tue Apr 04 2006 10:03:08 ET

The case of Samih Jammal, convicted with the help of the Patriot Act and FISA wiretaps of fencing stolen baby formula, sits on the fine line between the government's terrorism-fighting role and its duty to protect citizen's rights.

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports the use of FISA warrants helped prosecuted Arizona grocery wholesaler Jammal, who was convicted of operating a baby formula theft ring.

The JOURNAL notes that Jammal, a "U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, was never charged with any offense related to terrorism."

Jammal "is appealing, contending that FISA evidence used against him was illegally obtained and crippled his defense. ... 'It's baby formula of mass destruction here,' he said at one pretrial hearing."

Developing...



[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't this exactly the type of situation that opponents of the USA PATRIOT Act warned against --- that once the feds get the powers contained in the patriot act, they would use them for things never contemplated? Any thoughts?

[UATrewqaz]

If the US begins "spying" on someone for suspected terrorism, however that "spying" uncovers other non-terrorist crimes, should that crime be ignored?

Obviously you want to avoid the situation where the US SAYS it's spying for suspected terrorism but actually isn't.

But unless I'm wrong here, let's say the police get a warrant to search your house because they suspect you've stolen some jewelry (hypothetically). So they search your house for it but they find like 20 kilos of coke, they are still going to arrest you for the coke, even though they had no idea it was there, right?

[elwoodblues]

[ QUOTE ]
Obviously you want to avoid the situation where the US SAYS it's spying for suspected terrorism but actually isn't.

[/ QUOTE ]

We don't know enough about the case in the story to know what the reason for the initial search was.

Ultimately, you are correct about searches (finding 20 Kilos of coke.)

[canis582]

DHS confiscated something like 13,000 perscriptions coming from Canada into the US. Lots of old people didn't get the medicines that they paid for that they can't afford here.

Who's interests are DHS they protecting? The elderly or big business?

9-11 was an opportunity for the fascists in the US to grab power. You fools let them. Vote Feingold so we can wake up from this nightmare.