I believe that is the case, they are pursuing a federal hate crime charge.
I'm not sure. I don't think so. Of course, if you were premeditating to blow up, say, 100 people, that's a lot of charges. So it's more of a philosophical difference to me, I guess.
Obviously hate crime laws and terrorism laws are similar. In essence, they are based on the idea that the victim goes beyond the victim that is harmed by the ordinary crime - that the crime was directed to a broader group of people and they are in some way also victims.
I understand the logic of it. I'm not sure I want a standard that can be so nebulous. There are (or I believe there to be) differences between a crime perpetrated on me, intended for me, and connected to me because of some property I happen to share with the actual victims.
All three have been indicted.
Time is your friend. Impulse is your enemy. -John Bogle