The Obama administration is weighing the release of blind Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman — the spiritual adviser to the 1993 World Trade Center bombers — in a stunning goodwill gesture toward Egypt that has touched off a political firestorm, officials said yesterday.
The Egyptian government “asked for his release,” an administration source told The Post — and Rep. Peter King (R-LI) confirmed the request is being considered.
The White House, State Department and Justice Department each issued statements denying any deal is in the works, but, “There’s no way to believe anything they say,” said Andrew McCarthy, the former assistant US attorney who prosecuted Abdel-Rahman. “I believe there may already be a nod-and-wink agreement in place.”
Releasing Rahman would be stunning, it would not not be a goodwill gesture and would not been as one. It would be appeasement and it would be seen as appeasement both by America’s friends and foes.
Don’t let Rahman’s Santa hat and sunglasses fool you. The man is a vicious jihadist bent on destroying America and subjugating us to Islam.
He was convicted not just of his role in the 1993 World Trade Center attack, which was the first attempt to destroy the twin towers. He was convicted of a broader plot to destroy bridges and tunnels to kill thousands and thousands of Americans.
His incarceration in US prisons has been a jihadist bloody shirt for years. Osama bin Laden even cited it as one of his motivations to attack us.
The Muslim Brotherhood would take Rahman’s release as a sign that America will give in to jihadist demands. They will be right in that assessment. That calculation will lead to more demands and more attacks.
Khalid Sheikh Muhammad currently cools his heels at Gitmo. If Rahman gets handed over to Egypt for any reason, the jihadists will probably turn to attacking us to get him released, along with another terrorist after that, and another terrorist after that.
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