Shot dead; no due process; are you next?

By C. J. Refsland on May 23, 2013 • ( 0 )

If you are a regular Daily Jot reader, you know that I am no apologist for Islam or terrorists. But I am a staunch advocate for Constitutional rights. Even the occupant of the Oval Office, who in war against al Qaeda has unapologetically aided and given comfort to the same with millions of your tax dollars, deserves due process. But this government is notorious for abandoning due process–the widening Spygate, the deepening IRS scandal–are prime examples. Then comes the case of the 27 year old who the FBI brought in for questioning about the Boston bombing terrorist attack. He came out dead on a gurney. Shot to death by an agent who yesterday “felt threatened.” Now the story is changed.

Actually, the narrative of the circumstances leading to the shooting death of Chechnian immigrant Ibragim Todashev seems to be be evolving. Wednesday news reports said that Todashev had been and was being questioned by the FBI for his connection to Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the dead Boston bombing suspect. According to a friend of Todashev, the FBI had been questioning him since the bombings. Reports yesterday said the FBI agent opened fire when he felt threatened by Todashev. Today, the narrative says that Todashev became violent and attacked the FBI agent with a knife during questioning. The FBI is justifying the shooting death because Todashev was known to be a professional MMA fighter.

A friend of the dead man interviewed by Fox News said he and Todashev had been questioned and followed by the FBI since the Boston bombing and that Todashev was planning to fly home to Chechnya, but canceled the tickets at the FBI’s request. Now the FBI is saying that Todashev was about to sign a statement regarding a September 11, 2011 triple homicide that also involved the two brothers suspected in the Boston bombing. This is when Todashev “just went crazy” and pulled a knife during the interview. The FBI says the agent was stabbed several times with “non-life threatening” injuries. Yesterday, Todashev had told his friend that he had a bad feeling about the FBI interview.

The public will likely never know the truth surrounding this young man’s death. The story that the bombing suspects were being investigated for a triple murder that occurred on September 11, 2011 only surfaced on May 11. Notwithstanding, there was no due process. It seems rather logical that if you are about to interview a murder suspect, you would naturally check to see if he had any weapons. Something stinks here. In Matthew 25, Jesus told those who saw him hungered, athirst, a stranger, or naked or sick and did not minister to him to depart from him. They asked when did they see this? He replied in verse 45: “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” If the government affords Todashev no due process, how long before it does it to you?

Have A Blessed And Powerful Day,

Bill Wilson