Its war
Of course this was a disingenuous analogy. Osama was not sitting around Afghanistan drinking tea and eating cucumber sandwiches but planning to murder tens of thousands of innocents in the name of God.
Since Sept 11, he has publicly called for all Muslims to murder all Westerners on sight - women and children and innocence be damned. It is ludicrous to suggest that all the evidence be presented in public or in a court until he is caught because to do so would reveal our sources and prevent his capture.
But let me answer with another story. Suppose your daughter was working in the KLCC and some maniac from a country called Udinam decided that he hated Malaysia. His reasoning does not matter. Perhaps he thinks you are decadent, or your god is a false god, or he hates your shoes.
No matter, his god told him it was right to murder Malaysians to prove his point. So he captured two MAS planes and flew them into the towers, killing 5,000 Malaysians and 1,000 of your guests.
Visualise the horror, the death, parts of bodies flung blocks down Jalan Ampang. Walk in the shoes of the survivors as you struggle to understand why your daughter has disintegrated into dust.
Be honest. What would you demand of your government?
Would you accept that Udinam turn him over to a court of his own choosing? Would you demur when Udinam says, "He is just a guest." Would you honestly expect that the Malaysian government might turn over the evidence to Udinam and TV3?
The attack on the World Trade Center was just that - an attack and an act of war, no less. We take Osama at his word that he is at war with us and we treat the situation as such.
I have personally written to all of my government representatives that all measures must be taken to ensure the precision of their attacks. I cry over any additional loss of innocent life there, but I cannot ask my government to meekly walk to the UN and ask for help. And, neither would you.
