Residents near the gravel pit turned them in ONLY because they were wearing Muslim dress. It's a well-known area for target practice. They are citizens of the United States of America.

NONE of the guns was illegal. And responsible gun owners are proficient in the use of their weapons. (As an NRA member, I'm sure your mother is proud of you. That has to be a comfort during tough times.)

The deputy who investigated the matter did not issue any citations or warnings.

These fellows travelled. Period. They're Muslim. Jews go to Jerusalem, Christians too, and even I've gone to a fair in the next county.

They may be the biggest, baddest guys in the Western hemisphere. And so far the authorities have been talking a lot trying to justify their actions, have said nothing which would be incriminating about them.

What they have said is that these guys at their worst were not an "active" al-Qaeda cell, but were "associates". Whatever the hell that means.

Recently, a Muslim cleric from the same area, who is still in the slam, was arrested because a "sniffer" at an airport "detected" TNT. Later there was found to be no trace of TNT. He's still in the slam for some unrelated, seemingly spurious charges.

Reminds me of Padilla, who is still in the slam with no charges, no nothing. GWB and Ashcroft want him there, and that's good enough. Remind you of any other countries, any other times?

Profiling would mean looking at them. This is religious persecution even if they can come up with something now.

I promise you that YOU could be busted this way. And after a thorough search of your house they would come up with something - you claimed tax deductions you shouldn't have, you had explosives (a firecracker), an unregistered gun, hired people without paying payroll taxes, maybe a bit of weed, something.

Every infringement on civil liberties starts with the other guy, and is done in the Sacred Name of National Security. In Germany, in Russia, in China, and now in the US. Same process.

Arf