U.S. Government Targeted and Killed American Citizen Anwar al-Aulaqi

In a letter to Congress, Attorney General Eric Holder states that U.S. government specifically targeted and killed American citizen Anwar al-Aulaqi after a "thorough and careful review" and determining that he posed an imminent threat to Americans on U.S. soil.

He states that the U.S. government found al-Aulaqi posed an imminent threat of a violent attack and that his capture was not feasible. 


For example, Holder writes, al-Aulaqi instructed the so-called "underwear bomber" to blow up a plane when it was over American soil.
Describing the legal basis for these actions, a subject of much recent discussion, he writes that the Constitution does not prohibit government from killing American terrorists who hide in faraway countries and plot against homeland.

The letter states that Lethal force may be used when a person poses a continuing, imminent threat, capture is not feasible, no other reasonable means of addressing the threat exist. 

Holder also tells us that the government also killed three other U.S. citizens, who were not specifically targeted.

He also said that Obama will speak soon on legal and policy justifications for targeted killing.

Here is a link to the letter from Holder