Terrorist Hunters Defined

thefadd.

Posted to Religion on Tue Jul 24, 2007 at 10:17:50 AM EST (promoted by 1fastdog). RSS.

Terrorist Hunter: Terrorist or Freedom Fighter? Defender of Freedom or loony-bin wack-job? The question recently came to light during the case of Michael Curtis Reynolds, a regular old white American who was recently convicted of trying to help Al Qeada plot to blow up oil pipelines and other key American energy installations. Part of his defense -- which only took the jury an hour to dismiss -- was that he was actually a terrorist hunter posing as a terrorist who would later turn over the theoretical people he collaborated with to the proper authorities.

Complicating matters is the fact that the person who did ensnare Reynolds was not the FBI or the CIA or the NSA but another "terrorist hunter." Such people, of whom Shannen Rossmiller is one, reportedly go online to sniff out terrorists in chat rooms and other dark corners of teh intratuben. But these brave defenders of America face grave risks. Not only are they taking on the lonely losers of the internet but they face real scrutiny from Federal authorities. Shockingly, when Rossmiller first contacted authorities with terrorist related information, they grilled her as if she herself were -- a terrorist!

While people who are actually paid to apprehend and torture take the war to the terrorists in foreign lands, hobbyists keep us safe from the home grown variety here. In fact, Rossmiller's bust was one of the most high profile of the year. Do these people help you feel safe? Or are they just a little too worked up and lucky to be alive and not in jail?