There were two significant events in America’s internal war against Islamo-fascism: Jose Padilla was finally indicted for terrorist-related activities – several other jihadis were indicted, too. Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was convicted for planning to assassinate President Bush. Both had/have lawyers claiming all sorts of mitigating circumstances, but there are several less throat-slitters lurking on American soil now.

From the Guardian:

The indictment alleges that Mr Padilla received jihad training in Afghanistan and “operated and participated in a North American support cell that sent money, physical assets and mujahideen recruits to overseas conflicts for the purposes of fighting a violent jihad”.

Also indicted were Adham Amin Hassoun; Muhammad Hesham Youssef; Kifah Wael Jayyousi and a Canadian national, Kassem Daher. All were charged with conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim people in a foreign country; conspiracy to provide material support for terrorists and providing material support for terrorists.

Having Padilla in legal limbo was too much of a public relations drain.

From the Sunday Times :

An Arab-American student was convicted yesterday of joining al-Qaeda and plotting to assassinate President Bush.

A federal jury in Virginia rejected Ahmed Omar Abu Ali’s claim that Saudi authorities tortured him to extract a false confession.

Thank goodness the jury did not buy the sob-story.