Boys 'wanted to blow up school'

[Usumgal]

Thought crimes dude...apparently we have those in Britain now. Didn't you know? Everyone's guilty until proven innocent these days... *meanders off into a long-winded rant...* Everybody runs.

[strayrider]

But if the only part of this plan ever to come into physical reality is some ink in a diary which could be suggested to be fantasy? Then what? If there is not one attempt by them to move the conspiracy into actuality then what? "After police arrested him they found a plan of his former school and a manual with instructions on ingredients to use in explosives." Either of these items alone are rather benign. Combined with the diary, the phone calls to other students, etc, they point to a conspiracy to commit murder. The actual obtaining (or sketches) of the school plan, and the explosives manual are incriminating acts, or "overt" acts to bring the plan to fruition. -stray-

[darth los]

"After police arrested him they found a plan of his former school and a manual with instructions on ingredients to use in explosives." Either of these items alone are rather benign. Combined with the diary, the phone calls to other students, etc, they point to a conspiracy to commit murder. The actual obtaining (or sketches) of the school plan, and the explosives manual are incriminating acts, or "overt" acts to bring the plan to fruition. -stray- Very good sir. You sound like a law student. I would know. That's pretty much how they teach us to formulate our arguments. Shit. You've convinced me already.

[Neil]

Surprise surprise... Not guilty... What a waste of money... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/8258910.stm Surprise surprise... Not guilty... What a waste of money.. Guess the BBC saw my earlier post http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/8259565.stm

[MinionZombie]

Well geez, when I was their age an outside observer with a determination to prosecute over something-or-anything could have said I was "obsessed" (when I wasn't, for clarification) with serial killers. But then again, many teenage boys around that time end up watching documentaries about serial killers, and looking online at websites about them - more the classic ones (like Gein (although technically he is and isn't at the same time), or Dahmer or whatever), rather than those Columbine punks - even still, just in this thread (if memory serves) we've all been having a gander at that website with those crime scene photos in them. My thoughts are the fascination comes with the freedom these sorts of people represent - you would never carry out their actions, but their complete sense of freedom outside the societal norm is the attraction I would say. It's what most teenagers want - freedom. They want to test the boundaries of society and find their own place. Then they grow out of it. ... I do wonder if these kids were the sort of bullied and ostrasised kids that the Columbine nutters were. Even still, I bet every single person on this forum at one time or another, whether it was their mind's will or not, has had a few terrifying or horrific thoughts - but there's a vast, yawning chasm between thoughts and actually doing it.

[SymphonicX]

fucking hell I think about killing people every day!!!

[MinionZombie]

fucking hell I think about killing people every day!!! Exactly. *twiddles thumbs waiting for thought crimes to be introduced*

[Legion2213]

Wanting to do something and having the will/means/capacity to do something are totally different things in my book. I expect that these two will probably be in more danger than those they planned to attack from now on. And yes, we've probably all had dark thoughts about "getting even" with those who've wronged us. AH

[strayrider]

It's all in fun until something actually happens. Then everyone will be saying: "If the authorities knew about this, why didn't they do something?" Catch 22. -stray- ps -- I know what you're thinking ... there ought to be a law!

[AcesandEights]

Even still, I bet every single person on this forum at one time or another, whether it was their mind's will or not, has had a few terrifying or horrific thoughts but there's a vast, yawning chasm between thoughts and actually doing it. Let's pray, for the safety of all, that you're correct on that score, MZ.

[kortick]

I remember years ago these kids did light the school on fire. No one was hurt, but it was a real odd sight. People came and watched it burn. It was a big building. I remember when the entire annex collapsed there were people clapping like it was a fire work show. There were 3 kids that got caught, and they went thru the system but being minors didnt get into much trouble. The town however got $650,000 from insurance and more money from the state and federal government. Now the school is state of the art, fully wired for the internet, loads of computers with contracts for regular upgrades, they built a bigger pool, and installed an underground tunnel that goes to the library next door so kids dont have to leave the building to use the town library if the school one dont have what they want, and more things than I can list. All in all the officials condemn how these kids burnt the old school down, but seeing how no one got hurt and they got a million dollar new facility I dont think they really are too upset. They probably paid them to torch it.

[darth los]

What I got out of that is that crime pays and if you're a minor you pretty much have carte blanche to do what you will before the age of 17. Did i miss anything?

[Dtothe3]

Y'know. I coulda sworn we convicted some terrorists with less evidence then those kids had on them...