Before we tackle questions about a particular society's responsibility for an individual's crimes, I think we first must determine beyond a reasonable doubt that we have correctly identified the guilty parties.

In our system, innocence is presumed until guilt is proven. In my book, at least, proof requires far more than proclamations from on high.

In the immediate aftermath of Black Tuesday, it was proclaimed that Osama bin Laden was the mastermind of the plot, which included a group of 19 men identified as the suicide terrorists who hijacked the four planes.

Problems cropped up. At least seven of the alleged hijackers turned out to alive and well, and bin Laden claimed he didn't do it.

Flight instructors and other aviation personnel familiar with the flying "skills" of the alleged suicide pilots stressed the fact that these guys were completely inept "pilots" who were unqualified to solo even in a light plane. Subsequently, an inquiry team comprised of a group of pilots, civilian and military, "...concluded that the flight crews of the four passenger airliners, involved in the September 11th tragedy, had no control over their aircraft."

An inquiry team member and former USAF pilot commented:

"Those birds (commercial airliners) either had a crack fighter pilot in the left seat, or they were being manoeuvred by remote control."

They may not have been good pilots, but the alleged hijackers were certainly skilled and thorough in the trail of incriminating evidence they left behind. They may have been Muslim fanatics, but they seem to have enjoyed booze and lap dances, even on the eve of their date with destiny and Allah's virgins. Their visa applications may have been riddled with errors, but they got in the country anyway. Alert FBI field agents may have noted their presence and suspicious activities, but HQ wasn't interested. Ashcroft may have been alerted, but he didn't want to hear about it. Rice couldn't imagine. Myers couldn't be disturbed. Bush couldn't move.

Well, you get the idea.

S