Asinine

The Port Authority of New York/New Jersey loses a trial on the 1993 WTC bombing because the agency acted negligently in preventing terrorists from attacking the garage at the World Trade Center. Although the Port Authority is appealing, the case could cost the agency nearly $2 billion in damages payouts. The jury found the PANY 68% liable for the attacks, leaving the terrorists responsible for 32%.

Now, this week a case brought by the NYCLU against the MTA and New York City is contesting the random bag search on NYC subways and buses is commencing in New York. The case is being heard in New York Federal District Court.

It says the search program in the 468 subway stations serving 26 train lines ``has no meaningful value in preventing the entry of explosive devices into the system by the terrorists the N-Y-P-D is attempting to thwart.''

The city maintains that the mere presence of a random search program, regardless of how it is administered, is a valuable tool to thwart terrorists who prefer to target vulnerable areas with a low police presence for attacks.

City lawyers have noted that an al-Qaida training manual advising terrorists to avoid police checkpoints gives the city some justification for its random searches of bags entering the subway system.

Michael Cardozo of the city's law office says he's confident when the judge hears the evidence, he will find that the bag searches are perfectly constitutional and designed to protect the safety of all New Yorkers and visitors.

Is it me or does anyone notice that the NYCLU is advocating that New York City essentially ignore any warnings and drop a tactic that could be useful in deterring terrorist activities? Or, to put it bluntly, the NYCLU is advocating that the City take the position of the Port Authority before the 1993 terrorist attacks, which is to say, do nothing, and then be on the hook for billions should an attack occur. And this is knowing full well that such an attack that would be carried out by a group of terrorists who are dedicated to the task of mass murder at all costs and to do so with the maximum shock value.

In 1993, most folks simply didn't recognize the threats posed by Islamic terrorists, despite the decades of terrorist attacks. After 1993, the PANY changed its security procedures at the WTC and made significant improvements to the WTC, changes that may have saved many lives on 9/11. Now, we're being told by the NYCLU to give up a tactic that could deter terrorists from attacking the subway system despite their previously stated intentions to do so. This, after Islamic terrorists have previously struck at subways in Spain and London.

Will common sense win out in this case?

I hope so.