Underwear Bomber Should Get Some Leniency
I believe he is eligible for life without parole. He probably won’t get that due to cooperation with interrogators. But there is another reason to give him something less than the maximum that I have not seen mentioned. A reason similar to what I have written about twice before in other contexts. I have said that kidnappers who don’t kill or home invaders who don’t harm should get significantly lower sentences due to those actions. Not to reward them but to offer incentive to future criminals to do the same thing.
In this case I propose that the Nigerian kid be treated somewhat leiniently to incentivise future PARENTS. Remember that this kid was turned in by his father. It is not relevant that the authorities didn’t follow up. Parents of brainwashed terrorists should know that their actions reporting their children might have a personal upside. That just might save some future plane.