Examining Hassan Butt

"we might like to know what he was doing in Pakistan if not recruiting or fighting for al-Qa'ida"

Would you say the same about anyone else who went to Pakistan without an obvious explanation for their journey? Several other people ended up banged up in Guantanamo Bay or PAkistani gaols for not being able to say what they were doing in Pakistan if not recruiting or fighting for al-Qa'ida. It is supposed to be a principle of law that everyone- including alleged terrorists and/or loud-mouthed nuts- is innocent until proven guilty. That principle has been broken already and every attempt to extend it should be opposed.

No, because many British Pakistanis spend time in Pakistan, and even settle there. Perhaps I underestimated his ability to make his way in a country like Pakistan which has a difficult reputation (power cuts, ethnic troubles, rampant bribery and corruption, poverty etc) when he was stupid enough to shoot off his mouth about jihad and then try to sell his story for £100,000, but all I meant was: if he wasn't doing what he said he was, what was he doing?

"if he wasn't doing what he said he was, what was he doing?"

Probably much the same sort of thing that other British muslims were doing in Pakistan and Afghanistan: visiting relatives, looking for financial opportunities, dreaming of an ideal islanic state, thinking they were being adventurous and fantasising about jihad and heroism. Strike out where not applicable.