Suspect Arrested In Connection To Bombings In New York, New Jersey

NY Times: Suspect Arrested In Connection To New York, New Jersey Bombings. The New York Times reported police shot and arrested a suspect in connection to bombings in New York City and New Jersey. The article described the suspect as a “naturalized citizen” from Afghanistan:

The man believed to be responsible for the explosion in Manhattan on Saturday night and an earlier bombing in New Jersey, Ahmad Khan Rahami, was taken into custody on Monday after he was wounded in a gunfight with the police, law enforcement officials said.

[...]

Mr. Rahami was identified by officials on surveillance video planting the bombs in Chelsea, both the device that exploded on 23rd Street and another that did not detonate a few blocks away. His fingerprint was also found on one of the pressure cooker bombs in Manhattan, according to a senior law enforcement official. Mr. Rahami was also connected to a bombing that took place earlier on Saturday on the Jersey Shore.

The police believe that he was also responsible for a backpack full of pipe bombs found in Elizabeth, N.J., late Sunday.

[...]

Mr. Rahami was born on Jan. 23, 1988, in Afghanistan. He was described as a naturalized citizen who had been living with his family in Elizabeth, not far from where he was arrested. Neighbors said that several years ago Mr. Rahami traveled to his homeland and when he returned, he showed signs of radicalization. The significance of the visit was not immediately clear. It was not known whether he had any links to an overseas terror organization, or whether he had been inspired by such organizations. [The New York Times, 9/19/16]

Trump Blames Political Correctness, Advocates Racial Profiling In Wake Of Bombing

Trump: “We're Trying To Be So Politically Correct In Our Country, And This Is Only Going To Get Worse.” Trump told supporters at a rally in Florida that terrorism is “only going to get worse” unless the government abandons political correctness and allows police to racially “profile” citizens. Trump claimed police currently hesitate “to do anything” because “they don't want to be accused of profiling”:

Donald Trump on Monday reiterated his support for the controversial practice of racial profiling by police amid increasing threats to the homeland.

“Our local police -- they know who a lot of these people are. They are afraid to do anything about it because they don't want to be accused of profiling,” Trump said on Fox News on Monday. Trump pointed to how Israel used profiling and “done an unbelievable job.”

Trump did not say on what attributes he would encourage police to profile possible suspects, but It's illegal for police to subject US persons to disparate treatment based on their race or other protected status.

“They see somebody that's suspicious, they will profile,” Trump said. “Look what's going on: Do we really have a choice? We're trying to be so politically correct in our country, and this is only going to get worse.” [CNN.com, 9/19/16]

Right-Wing Media Fault “Political Correctness” For Bombings

Fox Guest Mike Flynn: “Political Correctness Kills.” Frequent Fox & Friends guest and retired General Mike Flynn stated that “Political correctness kills” during a discussion of the alleged terrorist attacks that occurred over the weekend. He continued, saying political correctness “will cause death and we can’t have that”:

STEVE DOOCY (CO-HOST): We are too politically correct.

MIKE FLYNN: Political correctness kills. It will cause death and we can't have that, and Donald Trump is right. The only -- I would be a little bit more precise, instead of these people are pouring in. They are actually being poured in by the White House and by the policies that we have for accepting refugees from places that we don't really understand, from people that we really can't vet in a way that we can understand what's happening and they are not assimilating in these various communities that we are pouring them into. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 9/19/16]

Sean Hannity: Politician’s “Pre-9/11” Mindset And “Political Correctness” Create “A Vulnerability.” Radio host and Fox News host Sean Hannity said that “political correctness” on top of “a pre-9/11 mindset” that denies the possibility of more terrorist attacks creates a “vulnerability” for the United States. Hannity argued Trump’s call for “vetting” refugees is “common sense” and “not racist.” From the September 19 edition of Premiere Radio Networks’ The Sean Hannity Show:

SEAN HANNITY (HOST): As much as you didn’t have the insight, the understanding, and the common sense that vetting is a good idea. It’s not racist. It's not Islamophobic. It's just simple, basic common sense. It’s like inviting somebody into your home. Do you invite any old person into your home or do you like to know a little bit about the person before they come into your home? I would argue that most of us would probably would think twice, especially if we have kids in the home, of inviting somebody of the street that we don’t know into our home. Why would you be cautious? Cautious because you don't know that person, you don’t know anything about them.

[...]

And you know what, there’s probably going to be more [attacks]. I know many of you are shocked. Hillary is shocked at the idea. How could there be more? If you pay attention -- the lead up to 9/11, 2001, a lot of events that led up to that, the embassy bombings in Kenya, in Tanzania. Now you wouldn’t think that would lead up to 9/11, right? Then, of course, you had a series of other bombings -- the first Trade Center bombing. That was a good indication that the Trade Center was a target. Then of course you have the U.S.S. Cole, then you have the 9/11 commission report saying there’s a whole group of people -- radical Islamist -- at war with us, we’re not at war with them.

Now, we’re a pre-9/11 mindset. And with a pre-9/11 mindset comes a vulnerability, and then have political correctness on top of it, which says you can’t say “radical Islam.” You know, again, what did Hillary say the other day when we’re the basket of -- what did she say, “deplorables?” There’s racist, sexist, homophobic, Islamaphobic, xenophobic -- well I guess if you want to secure our borders, you’re xenophobic. I guess if you want to vet refugees that grow up in countries that treat women, gays, lesbians, Christians, and Jews deplorably, really deplorably, then I guess that makes you Islamophobic. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Sean Hannity Show, 9/19/16]

Dr. Zhudi Jasser: “Political Correctness … Puts Us On A Path Toward National Fratricide.” American Islamic Forum for Democracy founder Zhudi Jasser told Fox Business host Liz Claman that “political correctness” puts the United States “on a path toward national fratricide.” Jasser also said Muslim people working in law enforcement should “vetted for the ideology of Islamism and belief in Sharia state” because “any Islamic state mentality is incompatible with American security”:

LIZ CLAMAN (HOST): Donald Trump speaking in Florida moments ago and he is essentially saying we're going to stop it. We're going to protect Americans. It is not enough to say this is bad after the fact, after a bombing or an attack occurs. What do you make of that?

ZHUDI JASSER: You know, listen I have even personal interest involved with family in Aleppo I’d like to get out and I have seen America like my family saw it, as the land of freedom. Even having said that, I don't want our country to engage in natural fratricide where we just let anybody in. It is a privilege to come here. And it is not just about immigration, Liz, our security clearances, folks who work for D.O.D., for Homeland Security, in N.S.A. and others. I hope Muslim police officers and others are vetted for the ideology of Islamism and belief in Sharia state, not just ISIS but any Islamic State mentality is incompatible with American security, be it about immigration or security clearances. And yet, to this day, the administration, government, and others do not want to identify the threat because of political correctness and it puts us on a path toward national fratricide. [Fox Business, Risk and Reward with Deirdre Bolton, 9/19/16]

Fox Guest Michael Soloman: “We’ve Got To Get Political Correctness Out Of Police Work.” During an interview with guest host Melissa Francis, frequent Fox guest and retired NYPD Special Investigator Michael Soloman pointed to political correctness as a key problem in the investigations, saying “We have to get rid of political correctness” because “political correctness is always having to say you’re sorry.” Soloman highlighted the San Bernardino attacks as proof, saying “the neighbor who knew the guy next door was fooling around and she was afraid because she didn’t want to be labeled a racist.” From the September 19 edition of Fox News’ The Real Story:

MELISSA FRANCIS (HOST): Do you think there were signs we should have noticed?

MICHAEL SOLOMAN: Well his friends would have noticed them but you know, again, to see something and say something why would they say something, he’s a friend. No one wants to rat out their friends. I mean, people have to be cautious. They could have been caught up in his maniacal ways too, they could have been hurt or killed with the bomb that he was playing with. What if they went over to his house one day to visit him, and an explosion occurred because he was playing with explosives. They have to think about these things butnobody does. And maybe it’s political correctness too amongst them. Political correctness is always having to say you’re sorry. We’ve got to get political correctness out of police work. It’s getting to the point where it’s absolutely ridiculous. We’re afraid to say something. Look what happened in San Bernardino with the neighbor who knew that the guy next door was fooling around and she was afraid because she didn't want to be labelled a racist. We have to get rid of political correctness. [Fox News, The Real Story, 9/19/16]

Fox Guest Steve Rogers: “We Have To Stop The Political Correctness.” In an interview with Fox’s Martha MacCallum, frequent Fox News guest Steve Rogers commented that “We have to stop the political correctness, the sanitizing of information to the American people” in his comments on the linkages between the bombings and ISIS :

MARTHA MACCALLUM (CO-HOST): What do you make about the distance that’s being given to oh well, this device could be a lone wolf, that device. I read a statement that was put out in one of the ISIS public relations for lack of a better word missives which very specifically says if you can't come here, you have to do something at home. So why is it so difficult to tie this to something that is larger than potentially one crazy guy and maybe some relatives in New Jersey.

STEVE ROGERS: The difficulty is when you don't have what we call human intelligence, when you don’t have that kind of intelligence to sit down to get that information out of somebody, you really don't know. However, saying that, we know there are six people at a minimum involved. There may be a cell or network. What we don’t know and what we have to know is if in fact this was a terrorist act that was by overseas direction. Did this cell get directions from an overseas entity, and if they did, whether it be ISIS or another type of organization overseas, we may have more cells ready to be activated. I find it interesting that these attacks are coming closer and closer to our election. It appears to me that these terrorist groups may be targeting our election to disrupt what's going to happen in this country in November. So it's a very difficult and daunting task. But we have to stop the political correctness, the sanitizing of the information to the American people, and our leaders I’m talking about, have to say exactly what it is and make sure, make sure the truth be told. [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 9/19/16] 

Fox’s Guilfoyle Says Political Correctness Is “Getting In The Way Of The War On Terror.” Fox host Kimberly Guilfoyle blamed “political correctness” for “getting in the way of the war on terror” because NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio wouldn’t “definitively call[]” the weekend bombing “an act of terror”:

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE (CO-HOST): Is political correctness getting in the way of the war or terror. I’d say so. New York City's mayor is still having a hard time definitively calling the bombing in Manhattan an act of terror, next. [Fox News, The Five, 9/19/16]