CIVILIAN SYSTEM IS PLENTY TOUGH

THIS WEEK’S horrific terror attack on New Yorkers tragically reminded us that violent Islamist extremists remain a threat. At the same time, we saw a swift response by the NYPD and other emergency personnel. We also witnessed a display of the indomitable spirit of New York, as residents turned out for the Halloween parade in a show of defiant courage. Unfortunately, President Trump chose to mark the occasion Wednesday by criticizing the U.S. justice system as a“joke” and as a weak “laughingstock.” From personal experience, I can tell you that he’s wrong. Our constitutional system is tough, effective and fair. During and after the attacks of Sept .11, 2001, I was the chief of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice and responsible for supervising the prosecution of terrorists. As the smoke was still rising from the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the FBI and Justice Department launched an aggressive global investigation aimed at detecting and stopping any further plots. As a result of this effort, we prosecuted and convicted Zacarias Moussaoui of participation in AlQaeda’ s conspiracy to attack America on 9/11. He was detained pending trial, and received six life sentences. Two months after 9/11, we apprehended Richard Reid, who tried to detonate explosives in his shoe while traveling by commercial aircraft from Paris. He was convicted and sentenced to three life terms plus 110 years in prison. Hardly “weak” —and I doubt these men are laughing in maximum-security prison. Since then, the FBI and Justice Department have continued their energetic and comprehensive campaign to frustrate terrorists both here and overseas. To be sure —and tragically— the authorities arenot always successful. While plots to attack Times Square and Wall Street did not succeed, a few terror attacks were carried out. We all recall the outrageous 2013 bombing at the Boston Marathon. But even here the justice system worked: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,t he surviving bomber, was hunted by federal and local authorities and captured within a day. He was later convicted and sentenced to death, and is currently on Death Row. Two weeks ago, Ahmad Rahimi was convicted of a 2016 bomb detonation in Manhattan. He faces life in prison. Understandably, everyone is heartbroken and frustrated when a terrorist is able to operate without being detected. But that is not ground to disdain our dedicated law enforcement personnel and our tough but fair constitutional system. No free country has a more effective criminal justice than ours. We should cherish it. Chert off, homeland security secretary from 2005 to 2009,is executive chairman of the Chert off Group, a security and riskmanagement advisory firm.