Yes, you are allowed opinions, I didn't say anywhere where opinions weren't allowed and nowhere did I even suggest that the internet ought to be closed down.

Okay, let's have opnions. Nothing wrong with opinions but's let's have opinions that you hold by rather than lies.

By this if I say that I am not keen on a certain section of society, or how a part of society is run or that I am going or not going to do something then let's make it truthful.

Everything that I have written here in this thread and every other message since my first message on Eve and, in fact on any message board anywhere on the internet at any time, or BBS in time before that, has been truthful. And because I never intented ever to harm anyone I have never had ever had the need to threaten anyone.

If someone comes onto the internet and fouls the waters by being an utter prat and, in doing so, breaks the law then he fullly deservers what he gets. And, yes, he did something wrong - he fell foul of the law with respect to publishing various threats which cannot be taken lightly.

Yes, let's have freedom of speech but let's add a proviso - you can say what you want but it had better be true to your feelings and intentions. And then beware of the consequences. I am the biggest advocate of freedom of speech but I know that with some freedoms comes reposnsibilities. That fact may now have dawned onto that idiot.

So, no. I don't think it's the right thing to do is to do as you suggest and close down the internet.

Could it be that he is on suicide watch because trained professionals deemed him a suicide risk, which calls into question his level of mental stability

You know what.

While this certainly displayes the flaws within the US legal system, and that's not just knocking the US, as I gather that there is a similer case happening in the UK.

I actually find it difficult to have any sympathy at all for this rather stupid little boy.

"It was only a joke" The famous defence of just about every bully that has been caught out.

Trolls and so called 'hacktavist' have been pigging the world off for, as long as the internet has been about, and it looks like the worlds patience is starting to run out. The fact that I am typing this may be evidence, as once I would have been in the front line of shouting in support of the lad. But now it's more a case off "To***r, got what he deserves."

That is wrong I know, but perhaps it is evidence of how uncaring the world is becoming, I don't know. What I do know, is that this youth is not high on my list of priorities to beat a drum on to defend.

If that is folk's idea of a 'joke' (which it is NOT), I'd hate to see what you consider a legitimate threat.

Yeah. 8 years in prison is a bit much, but he deserves something.

8 years is ridiculous, but community service is not enough.

[(...)

Quote me where i said he should do jail time. All I said was simple community service was too easy.

And let me be clear fine sir. I can almost guarantee that i have said worse things in my past, but you know what? I knew who the **** my audience was. (...)