Shoe-bomber starts hunger-strike

[Saddle Bronc 124]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8094727.stm

'Shoe bomber' is on hunger strike

A man jailed in the US for trying to blow up an airliner with explosives hidden in his shoes has gone on hunger strike, court papers have revealed.

Briton Richard Reid is said to have been refusing food for several weeks and is being force-fed and hydrated.

Reid, 35, is currently taking legal action against prison restrictions which, he says, prevent him from practising his Sunni Muslim faith.

He is serving three life sentences at the Supermax prison in Colorado.

Details of the hunger strike were revealed in court documents made public in Reid's lawsuit.

However, federal prison officials would not reveal if his refusing food is connected to the court case.

Reid claims he has been under special restrictions since arriving at the jail in February 2003.

His lawsuit says the restrictions include prohibiting group prayer with other Muslim inmates, a ban on contacting journalists and limiting access to a Muslim imam.

'Security reasons'

The US justice department told the District Court judge in Denver overseeing the lawsuit that the restrictions were required for security reasons.

They include denying visits that other inmates are allowed, and tight controls on written and telephone communication with lawyers and others outside prison.

Regarding the denial of group prayer, the department says it is concerned Reid might pray with inmates who were co-conspirators of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

A government lawyer said that Reid had refused 58 meals by 9 April and that prison officials decided "that medical intervention was necessary".

The lawyer added that prison officials were monitoring his condition.

Reid was sentenced in 2003 in Boston for trying to detonate two bombs in his shoes on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami.

He was overpowered by passengers and crew after they saw him trying to light a fuse protruding from one of his shoes.

The chop volunteered to blow himself up to kill lots of others, and was caught; ergo, he volunteered to put himself on whatever punishment was meted out (including restrictions). Prison officials should force-feed him with pork broth!

[Staashi 371]

Does it matter if he starves to death? One less nut job in the prison system.

[Peikko 1,575]

Martyrdom and propaganda.

Aside from that, nothing. I mean, it's not like the US tries to pretend that it stands on a moral pillar on anything is it?

[Ban Hammer 13,710]

can we give him some gas and matches to play with?

[Nagishkaw 510]

I agree with Cherry.

[mawilson 2,133]

I really really really really really really really really really HATE this guy.

I hope he dies every time I'm asked to take off my shoes when passing through a security checkpoint.

[Peikko 1,575]

I really really really really really really really really really HATE this guy.

I hope he dies every time I'm asked to take off my shoes when passing through a security checkpoint.

[fozzie 41]

He was going to blow himself up, now he wants to starve himself to death. Let him. Its his choice.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I really really really really really really really really really HATE this guy.

I hope he dies every time I'm asked to take off my shoes when passing through a security checkpoint.

The shoe bomb plot was right out of a Tex Avery cartoon. And about as successful.

[Peikko 1,575]

You know they can't really though.

[alienlovechild 75]

The shoe bomb plot was right out of a Tex Avery cartoon. And about as successful.

He certainly was one the dumbest terrorists around. His explosive shoes had no detonator and the fool couldn't strike a match to light the fuse. Couldn't he bring a lighter?

Regarding the denial of group prayer, the department says it is concerned Reid might pray with inmates who were co-conspirators of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

It's kind of like a terrorist class reunion.

[msu17 0]

You know they can't really though.

Let him starve himself? Just "force him" and oops it didn't work... Ugh, stupid rules

[mawilson 2,133]

Regarding the denial of group prayer, the department says it is concerned Reid might pray with inmates who were co-conspirators of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

It's kind of like a terrorist class reunion.

[Peikko 1,575]

You know they can't really though.

Let him starve himself? Just "force him" and oops it didn't work... Ugh, stupid rules

They aren't really stupid though. What do you think the accusations would be next if the US allowed prisoners to just die like this? Aside from that, it's also expecting prison staff to look on while inmates die and then asking them not to be de-humanised by the experience. Above all that though, the US is not a barbaric society. The US does not condone suicide or other degrading human behaviours. It's not rocket science this stuff.

Well, aside from capital punishment - that's pretty barbaric but we know the US is a bit schizophrenic with its grasp on humanism.

and torture, it seems torture is ok too so long as someone can argue that the US citizen benefited from the practice.

Ok, the US isn't very good at this humanism stuff, maybe they should just get off that moral pedestal now?

Edited June 11, 2009 by Madame Cleo

[Amby 490]

I really really really really really really really really really HATE this guy.

I hope he dies every time I'm asked to take off my shoes when passing through a security checkpoint.

You know they can't really though.

the UK is all about rights. they will allow him the right to starve himself.