A federal judge has decided to set free former al Qaeda officer Najibullah Zazi, effectively sentencing him to time served. In so doing, federal judge Raymond J. Dearie served U.S. national security on Friday.
While time served might seem like an odd sentence for a man who conspired to unleash multiple bombs on the New York City subway system in 2009, his release does more for national security than would his continued detention. In their submissions to the court, federal prosecutors described Zazi as having transformed during his ten years in prison.
They are confident he no longer supports al Qaeda’s struggle. They also say he was instrumental in the successful detection of numerous terrorist plots and the prosecution of other al Qaeda terrorists. They say that Zazi’s cooperation in these efforts was offered in full view of possible retaliation against his family.
All of this led them to a basic conclusion: Zazi deserved a second chance.
But the bigger story isn’t about Zazi, it’s about the next Zazi. It’s about the next guy.
Zazi’s story makes it clear to terrorist plotters that there is an incentive to come straight. It’s about showing terrorists that the U.S. government can be either your worst nightmare or your best friend depending on how you behave.
The hope is that terrorists will cooperate with the government. You can bet that FBI agents and CIA officers will make Zazi’s case a leading example in their efforts to persuade terrorists to change sides.
This long-term strategy is crucial.
While ISIS has taken on a preeminent role in global Salafi jihadism, the fight against al Qaeda will continue for many years. Rewarding Zazi’s good choices, the U.S. has served a counter-terrorism blow against the enemy.
