Is that a rocket launcher in your pocket?
Here's the deal: if a neighborhood has been terrorized by burglars and officers assigned to an anti-burglary unit come upon a fellow at 2 in the morning walking with a mask, gloves, crowbar, rope, lock-picking tools, an empty sack and doesn't live in the neighborhood and is not a construction worker on his way to work, the cops will definitely arrest the guy for the crime of having in his possession tools intended to be used in the commission of a burglary. No doubt about it.
Is it circumstantial evidence? Most assuredly. Can the jury treat that circumstantial evidence equal to the testimony of ten eyewitnesses who swear they saw him burglarize a home? Absolutely.
So here's what I don't understand: the HMS Portland, a British warship specifically assigned to a multi-national anti-piracy operation (1) off the east coast of Africa intercepted two suspected pirate boats in the Gulf of Aden. The two boats were equipped with extra fuel, grappling hooks, rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and ammunition.
So what happens? They are let go. Why, you may ask? Well, according to the Ministry of Defense, there was not sufficient evidence to directly link the group to any specific attack [BBC]. So now the once mighty England has to wait until two-bit pirates actually attack before they can do anything about it. Great.
Wait! Perhaps, I'm wrong, perhaps they were ordinary fishermen who like to catch tuna by blasting them with rocket-propelled grenades. Eh?
I shouldn't just blame the UK. Just last week, Canadian frigate, HMCS Winnipeg boarded two pirate skiffs loitering in the Gulf of Aden and found precisely the same piratical equipage and did exactly the same thing (2).
Confiscation Does Not Reduce Piracy
In both instances the ships' captains reported that they are reducing the threat of piracy by simply taking away their weapons and equipment. Now imagine if a bank robber walks into a bank with a ski-mask and a gun but before he has a chance to rob the bank we confiscate his "equipment" and let him go. Would that reduce bank robberies or increase them?
What has become of Western Civilization? Our enemies can plan attacks, carry bazookas, proclaim from the mosques their goal of world domination while we meticulously wait for the evidence to pile up, the i's to get dotted, the t's to be crossed.
The uncivilized can brutalize, behead, burn, maim, hijack, kidnap, and massacre yet our beloved leftists remain silent for fear of being accused of Islamophobia, even if that Islamophobia is justified. But they scream and yell "torture" if we make a suspected terrorist sleep with a light on. How fearful, how timorous, how chary have we become. No wonder Islamists hate us, we are worse than shaking, timid mice.
ENDNOTES
(1):
Allied Maritime Component Command, Operation Allied Protector
The North Atlantic Council (NAC) has agreed that NATO will contribute to international community efforts to counter piracy off the Horn of Africa. The aim of the mission is to enhance the safety of commercial maritime routes and international navigation in the area.
(2):
Allied Maritime Component Command, NATO Task Force disrupts pirate attack
HMCS WINNIPEG, Gulf of Aden – Canadian frigate, HMCS Winnipeg boarded two pirate skiffs loitering in the vicinity of the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden yesterday morning. A search of the vessels resulted in the seizure a significant stock of piracy equipment including arms and ammunition.
Shortly after 07:00 hrs local time, Winnipeg’s helicopter discovered the suspicious vessels during a scheduled patrol flight. The two skiffs dispersed and attempted to flee but were eventually stopped and boarded.
A search of the both skiffs revealed numerous firearms including a semi-automatic pistol, two Rocket Propelled Grenade launchers with two projectiles, an M16 assault rifle, seven AK47 assault rifles and a stock of small arms ammunition. Included in the seized items was a pirate-style hooked ladder that was discarded during the chase but later recovered by Winnipeg’s crew.
“Although they committed no act of piracy of which we are aware, our goal is to prevent piracy. By disarming these men we have neutralized their capability to threaten shipping,” Ships captain, Commander Craig Baines, said.
