ISIS Arrests

[mfreem08]

I have a question that I am a bit ignorant about. The teens (as well as a few other stories I've heard on the news) that were leaving the country to join ISIS were arrested by FBI IIRC. I believe this was the case with a few other people. My question is were there other things these people have done to warrant being arrested? My thought process was they were arrested just for wanting to go do "something". Did I miss something in any of these stories? If I say that I want to go steal/do xyz, can I be arrested just for saying that I'd like to do something. I know that people making threats to the POTUS get strung up but what am I missing here those of you more educated in law than I?

 

[kilimanjaro]

If trying to join a military force that is at war with the United States isn't a crime, we are doomed.

The Lincoln Brigade it ain't.

They went beyond just saying let's 'do something', they were en route to enlist in the organization.

 

[44 AMP]

If I say that I want to go steal/do xyz, can I be arrested just for saying that I'd like to do something.

In a great many situations, absolutely!, yes!!

And, there are even situations where NOT saying something can get you arrested!

IT all depends on how much of a threat (and to whom) you are believed to be.

For just about everything I can think of that is a crime, attempting to commit that crime is ALSO a crime. We don't have to wait until the terrorist actually blows up something, just as we don't have to wait until you actually get shot to defend yourself. Having clear, convincing evidence of intent is enough.

The guy who says "I'm gonna kill you!" while tee-ing up on the golf course is a different matter than the same guy, in the same place saying the same thing, but swinging his club at your head!

You can even wind up prosecuted (and convicted) for NOT saying something. The people who didn't tell the government that Tim McVeigh was planning on blowing something up (because they didn't believe he was serious) still each got about a dozen years in jail.

Treason, and giving aid and comfort to the enemy are still crimes listed on the books. Whether or not people get convicted of them is a matter for the courts. Whether they get arrested for them is not.

 

[Frank Ettin]

...I believe this was the case with a few other people. My question is were there other things these people have done to warrant being arrested? My thought process was they were arrested just for wanting to go do "something"....

Since we have no names or any other information we have no way of knowing who, if anyone, was arrested for what and on exactly what basis.

Details matter.

 

[Mike38]

If trying to join a military force that is at war with the United States isn't a crime, we are doomed.

I’m not trying to be difficult, so blame this on ignorance. Has the USA officially declared war on the group known as ISIS / ISIL ? Can you even declare war on a group of people? Doesn’t a declaration of war need to be on a country?

If not, isn’t what these people are doing simply moving from the USA to another country?

I do not agree with what they are doing, just don’t understand the laws, I guess.

 

[Frank Ettin]

...isn’t what these people are doing simply moving from the USA to another country?

Apparently not you, nor anyone else here, knows exactly what "those people", whoever they are, did or are doing.

This is turning into a bunch of meaningless speculation. There's nothing to discuss unless/until someone can get us some real, documented facts.

Closed.