The Jihadi version of D&D

I just now caught up with TigerHawk’s estimable post where he points to the “preconfessions” of the London jihadis. TigerHawk suggests putting them on the web to “discredit these idiots.” As he says: “we should be mocking and humiliating them at every opportunity. [If we set them up] for distributed pillory at the hands of every blogger and comedian who wants to win this war, so be it.”

A commentor cautions: “Releasing the videos now would certainly wreck the case. The suspects would probably have to be released as a fair trial would be impossible. You have to be very careful with juries.”

Very likely. But so what? Let me be clear, I have no beef with the London investigators who did a fine job of tracking and monitoring these buffoons. But let’s face it: these jihadis are not serious terrorists, they are wannabees. They were writing a collaborative on-line fantasy novel; they were playing a jihadi version Dungeons & Dragons. They certainly had all kinds of evil intent. But they had their shoelaces tied together. The chances that they could pull off an act of serious murder or mayhem is just about zero. As a threat to good order, they were about as dangerous as that judge who got caught masturbating with a penis pump.[1] Turning them loose to deafening hoots of derision would—in each case—be the appropriate penalty. Remember, you can’t run with the big dogs if you spray ammonia like a puppy.

[1] Okay, the judge got four years, which doesn’t really help my argument. But my heavens, where are the libertarians when you need them?