WASHINGTON — The debate over whether to charge the underwear bomber in a civilian, rather than a military court, continues.
Attorney Gen. Eric Holder Jr. fired off a letter dated Feb. 3 to Sen. Mitch McConnell and other centers assuring him that “I made the decision to charge Mr. Abdulmutallab with federal crimes, and to seek his detention….” The letter was posted on Justice Department website.
“On the evening of December 25 and again on the morning of December 26, the FBI informed its partners in the Intelligence Community that Abdulmutallab would be charged criminally, and no agency objected to this course of action,” Holder wrote.
“Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, the practice of the U.S. government followed by prior and current Administrations without a single exception has been to arrest and detain under federal criminal law all terrorist suspects who are apprehended inside the United States.”
“The prior administration adopted policies expressly endorsing this approach.”
