Editor,
The dictionary defines the word “entrapment” as, “a defense that claims the defendant would not have broken the law if not tricked into doing it by law enforcement officials.” I now direct your attention to the recent arrest of the so-called terror suspect Mohamed Osman Mohamud in Oregon by the FBI.
It appears that for over a year undercover FBI agents contacted, recruited and assisted Mr. Mohamud in planning a fake terrorist attack at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in Portland, Ore. After convincing Mr. Mohamud through e-mail and undercover agents claiming to be Muslims that Islam called for killing all non-Muslims, the FBI gave Mr. Mohamud his orders.
If all of this sounds strange, then that is because the FBI now claims that it was acting to protect the public. If I wanted to protect a group of people why would I go around trying to convince others that killing them is honorable and praiseworthy?
The truth is that like many people today, there are Muslims who are ignorant when it comes to even some of the basic teachings of their religion. This in turn makes them susceptible to a distorted version of their religion. Would any informed Christian believe that Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount justified the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition?
Mr. Mohamud’s only crime is that he fell prey to wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Muhajir Romero
UNM student
