The Washington Times' March 16 Inside Politics column reprinted part of National Review Online contributing editor Andrew McCarthy's March 13 column, which claimed that former Guantánamo Bay detainee Binyam Mohammed is “the al Qaeda jihadist who was planning to carry out mass-murder attacks in American cities, who is now free and clear to live and plot in Londonistan.” However, the Times did not note that the U.S. Justice Department in October 2008 withdrew charges against Mohammed of plotting to commit terrorist attacks and subsequently transferred Mohammed, a former British resident, to the United Kingdom. In a February 23 press release, the Justice Department stated that “an interagency panel has reviewed Mohammed's case and determined that his transfer, pursuant to an arrangement between the United States and the United Kingdom, is consistent with the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and the interests of justice.”

Further, contrary to McCarthy's claim that Mohammed “is now free and clear to live and plot in Londonistan,” a February 23 Guardian article quoted a Scotland Yard spokesman stating that "[p]olice are conducting investigations into his case." The article also reported that “Mohamed has agreed to abide by several voluntary security measures in Britain, including regular reports to a police station.” Also, in a written statement to Parliament, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband asserted: “Mr. Mohamed's return does not constitute a commitment by the Home Secretary that he may remain permanently in the UK. His immigration status is being reviewed following his return. As always, the Government's top priority is national security, and should any steps be necessary, we will take them.”

From the March 16 Washington Times column:

“When the most partisan, most left-wing Democrat in the U.S. Senate says he wants to investigate his political adversaries 'in a manner removed from partisan politics,' he's being disingenuous. Even more disingenuous is calling the exercise a 'truth commission.' But that's Patrick Leahy for you,” Andrew C. McCarthy writes at National Review Online (www.nationalreview.com).

"The Judiciary Committee chairman has not had much to say about the Obama administration's decision to release Binyam Mohammed, the al Qaeda jihadist who was planning to carry out mass-murder attacks in American cities, who is now free and clear to live and plot in Londonistan. Leahy did, however, make time [recently] to conduct a hearing on his banana-republic scheme for a 'non-partisan' -- also non-elected, non-accountable -- sideshow that would conduct an inquisition into the Bush administration's counterterrorism policies. His model, he has explained, is South Africa's 'truth and reconciliation commission.'