Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif, Accused Terrorist, a Danger to Inmates and Must Remain in Solitary

Solitary man.

Accused terrorist plotter Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif is seen by federal authorities as a threat not only to the public but to his fellow inmates at the SeaTac detention center. In the words of government attorneys, he poses danger "to life, property, self, staff, other inmates, the public, or to the security or orderly running of the institution."

In short, allowing him to mix with other inmates could be "explosive . . . a powder keg," say prosecutors.

As a result, Abdul-Latif, arrested in June on charges of planning to shoot up a Seattle military processing station, has been confined to a small cell in solitary confinement and allowed out for just five hours total each week, his attorneys say. They suggest he's being punished without having been convicted, could be psychologically damaged by the confinement, and recently asked a judge to move him into the general prison population.

But the Federal Detention Center (FDC) has "very good reasons" to keep Abdul-Latif in its Special Housing Unit, say U.S. attorneys in recent court filings, "and those reasons have nothing to do with punishment."

In a highly publicized case, Abdul-Latif is charged with conspiring to massacre soldiers and recruits. The Government alleges that Abdul-Latif was motivated by Islamic extremism, hatred for the United States military, and admiration for Osama Bin Laden. Releasing Abdul-Latif to the general population would be risky.

The FDC's legitimate fears include the fear that other inmates would attack Abdul-Latif, the fear that Abdul-Latif would attack FDC staff, and the fear that having Abdul-Latif in general population would create dangerous tensions between inmates who approved of Abdul-Latif's alleged goals and those who did not.

The feds say Abdul-Latif, 33, also known as Anthony Davis, has a history of violence and has already shown hostility to prison staff (which his attorneys say consisted of turning his back to them). Most important, they say, "Allowing Abdul-Latif into the general population risks dividing the inmates along ideological lines. There is a real danger that the inmates would not handle their ideological differences peacefully. In short, transferring Abdul-Latif from SHU risks lighting a powder keg."

That and other arguments apparently convinced U.S. Judge James L. Robart. He denied Abdul-Latif's request last month. For now at least, he'll remain in the special housing unit until trial, slated for next May.

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