'Lyrical Terrorist led double life'
[From the Guardian]Malik, who worked at WH Smith at the airport, was arrested in October last year. When her bedroom was searched police found a ringbinder full of documents as well as a bracelet bearing the word "jihad".There was also a sticker on a mirror inside the door, bearing the words "lyrical terrorist". ... In a box file in the family lounge was a printed version of the "declaration of war" by Osama bin Laden.
[From the BBC]The jury found her not guilty of possessing articles for terrorist purposes. But they did convict of the lesser terror charge of collecting articles "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".
My first thought about this conviction is that it couldn't happen here. But my second thought is "Of course it wouldn't, here she wouldn't even get a trial." Pretty god damn depressing.
People should not be convicted for having books and documents about terror, or for writing poetry about terror. She did not act on her self proclaimed desire to be a martyr, she did not kill, hurt or attempt to hurt anyone. Could she have? Would she have? We can't actually say. We know from things such as the tragedies at Columbine and Virgina Tech that some people will act upon such writings, but that doesn't mean they should get jail time. She should get psychological help to deal with her desire to be martyred, rather than get jail time and become a sort of martyr.
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