No Such Thing As A Real Terrorist?

We’ve commented before on the fetish that many reporters and editors have for the word “alleged.” I’m starting to think, though, that when it comes to terrorists, our newspapers now reserve judgment on the very reality of the concept. Thus this headline from the Associated Press: Alleged terrorist in Ohio gets 20 years in prison.

A person can’t be sentenced to 20 years in prison until he’s been convicted of a crime, so isn’t it time to drop the “alleged” and call him a terrorist? It’s actually worse than that, since the AP’s story says that the would-be terrorist, Christopher Paul, “pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction in terrorist attacks.” So the “allegation” that he was a terrorist comes from the terrorist himself–still not good enough, apparently, for the AP.

To comment on this post, go here.

Notice: All comments are subject to moderation. Our comments are intended to be a forum for civil discourse bearing on the subject under discussion. Commenters who stray beyond the bounds of civility or employ what we deem gratuitous vulgarity in a comment — including, but not limited to, “s***,” “f***,” “a*******,” or one of their many variants — will be banned without further notice in the sole discretion of the site moderator.

Responses