Video records soldier's plans to join al-Qaida

[icymist]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/173124_anderson13.html



Thursday, May 13, 2004

Video records soldier's plans to join al-Qaida

By MIKE BARBER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

FORT LEWIS -- Army Spc. Ryan Anderson talked with his lawyer and wrote on a notepad yesterday, but didn't look up at the screen showing an undercover video of his meeting near the Space Needle in February with two federal investigators posing as al-Qaida terrorist recruiters.

In the 58-minute recording made inside a vehicle, with about a minute censored for security reasons, Anderson, 26, of Lynnwood is shown volunteering ideas on how to defeat U.S. military vehicles and kill soldiers, sharing military documents, making plans to desert and join al-Qaida, and his reasons for it all.

"While I love my homeland, I believe the leaders have taken this horrible road. I have no belief in what the American Army has asked me to do. They have taken me from my family and sent me to die," Anderson said on the video, which was shown in a courtroom at this Army base yesterday.

"I joined the National Guard because they said I won't go over and fight -- I will fight at home," he said.

(more)

[yardwork]

1. A freeper who went over to the other side.

Anderson, a 2002 Washington State University graduate in military history, was known to high school classmates in Lynnwood for his Christian and paramilitary enthusiasm and profuse letter writing to newspapers. Then he embraced his version of Islam and kept his ideas flowing on Internet forums.

Ideologues often switch from one extreme to the other.

[NMDemDist2]

2. so true, my 1st husband went from Born again to herion addict yearly n/t

[Claire Beth]

3. I can relate to that...my ex- did the same thing! n/t

[Just Me]

7. "Extremists" need a LOT of counseling for a LONG time.

But, they never do get that needed psychotherapy; hence, they never become balanced.

[Say_What]

11. And the country's in the grips of a bunch of 'em... YIKES

[mzmolly]

8. Indeed they do.

tsk tsk

[belle]

22. Sounds about right.

[private_ryan]

4. hang him

after the trial of course. No matter how he felt about the leadership there's no excuse ...

[prolesunited]

6. Well, at least

You'll allow him a trial first. Hey, that makes us better than most countries. :eyes:

[Bandit]

12. Is he any worse than those that outed a CIA agent?

I say hang him right alongside Novak. He at least said he was fighting the leaders of America and that he still loved his homeland just not the direction it has taken. Those that outed Valerie Plume did so for political gain and showed no regard for their country. they are IMHO far more despicable.

[struggle4progress]

17. It sounds like he's got some crossed wires. eom

[David__77]

5. Oh boy... what a horrible road to take.

So he doesn't want to take one horrible road, and he chooses another. I can see resisting war and occupation, but al-Queda is a reactionary anti-people organization that targets children and innocent people. How will abetting this agenda contribute to fighting Bush? Not at all.

[Karenina]

10. The U.S. *MIC

is a reactionary anti-people organization that targets children and innocent people...

[David__77]

13. I won't argue your point. However...

there's no valor in linking up with a right-wing radical outfit like al Queda. It's really like joining the KKK. If he was angry and wanted to help stop the occupation, there are any number of positive avenues to take.

[Karenina]

14. I DO understand that no matter what

AMERICANS are "morally superior." :eyes: I grew up there.

"Well, HE SHOULDA..."

[David__77]

16. So, am I to not be critical?

I understand more than many that there is something good in blind rage against oppression. But the problem is when people lash out on that basis instead of exercising discipline and strategy. For every potential freedom fighter that joins a group like al-Queda, harm and not good come to the cause of liberation. I believe many across the globe would agree with this assessment.

[Karenina]

18. You are STILL focusing

on what THEY "should do." I submit to you that THIS is a basic problem and obstacle to us finding solutions.

[maxsolomon]

9. it will be spun that he's a liberal

or that his parents were too liberal.

sounds to me like an unbalanced conservative.

if the judge hadn't found him out he would'nt have done shit.

[AP]

15. Sounds like Tim McVeigh.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

19. You beat me to it. Poppy created Timothy McVeigh via Gulf War 1

and Bush has spawned hundreds more...and remember where the seeds of the Patriot act were sown..as a response to OKC.

[Rebellious Republican]

20. AP, once again you are right on target! N/T

[icymist]

21. This just in on the nwcn breaking news:

Court Marshal has been recommended.

Court-martial recommended for soldier accused of trying to help terrorists

02:58 PM PDT on Thursday, May 13, 2004


Associated Press

http://www.nwcn.com/topstories/stories/NW_051304WANsoldierarrestedSW.1bb7198e6.html

FORT LEWIS, Wash. - A U.S. soldier accused of trying to help al-Qaida should be court-martialed, the officer overseeing a hearing in his case said Thursday.

Col. Patrick J. Reinert's recommendation will be passed on to the base commander at Fort Lewis, Lt. Gen. Edward Soriano, who ultimately will decide whether Spc. Ryan G. Anderson will face a court-martial and whether he might face the death penalty.

Anderson, 26, a Muslim convert and Fort Lewis-based guardsman, was arrested in February and charged with five counts of trying to provide the terrorist network with information about U.S. troop strength and tactics as well as methods for killing American soldiers.

Reinert's recommendation concluded an Article 32 hearing for Anderson -- similar to a preliminary hearing in civilian court.

During the hearing prosecutors presented a secretly taken video of Anderson meeting with two undercover military officials posing as members of al-Qaida.

EOM That's the whole story.

[Blue_Tires]

23. every day

something about this 'war' shocks me to near-death...

won't be long before someone likens him to John Walker-Lindh, or try to blame his 'liberal' parents for sloppy upbringing