However, I do believe that, as well as not being taken out of the cell to be killed, they should not be taken out of their cell AT ALL. Life. Rot in prison. Not interested in arguments about “cost”, as that is subordinate to the need to not have the State kill in cold blood.

In Islam, all of these boys, if found guilty, would be summarily executed

The Islamic punishment for adultery is lashing the guilty person with a hundred lashes as mentioned in verse 24:2.

24:2 ((The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication,- flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment)).

However, I agree with you these boys did not commit adultery only, but also Hiraabah (using terrorism against others just to make mischief). The famous Muslim scholar Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi defined Muhaarib (a person who commit Hiraabah) as follows: ((One who puts people in terror on the road, whether or not with a weapon, at night or at day, in urban areas or in open spaces, in the palace of a caliph or in a mosque, with or without partner, in a desert or in a village, in a large or in a small city, with one or more people making people fear that they will be killed, or have their money taken, or be raped whether the attackers are one or many)).

Therefore, according to Sharia law, these boys shall receive two punishments: one for adultery and the other for Hiraabah.

The Islamic punishment for Hiraabah is mentioned in Quranic verse 5:33. The verse gives four choices of punishment for the judge to decide.

5:33 ((The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom)).

So, the first choice is 100 lashes for adultery, then execution for Hiraabah. I would go for this choice if the boys were married or if their deed included killing.

The second choice is 100 lashes, then crucifixion. I would go for this choice if their Hiraabah caused extreme terror to the society (most likely, it did).

The third choice is 100 lashes, then their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides. I would go for this choice if they also committed robbing during Hiraabah.

The fourth choice is 100 lashes, then they should be expelled out of the land. Personally, if I were the judge, I would rather choose this punishment for them. This would prevent these boys from committing the same crime again.

If I had my way, a distinctly un-Islamic way, I’d have these boys gang-raped by state-employed-gay rapists for several weeks

I know you are just kidding brother; I trust that your way would be the Islamic way only since you are a 100% Muslim.
4:65 ((But nay, by thy Lord, they will not believe (in Islam) until they make thee judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves no dislike of that which thou decidest, and submit with full submission)).

For your information, in the case of these boys, Sharia law does not required any witness since the boys have already “admitted the offences”. Moreover, 4 witnesses would be required for adultery crime when there is no evidence or confession, but 2 witnesses would be enough for the terrorism crime (Hiraabah). I trust that you do not suggest punishing someone without any evidence, confession or witnesses!

While I agree with your sentiments, Shahid is pointing out that the current system does not address moral expectations – irrespective of faith.

Yes, boys should not be punished as fully developed adults, but there is a problem beyond this. The article implicates passers by as well as 9 children. This is not rights-of-passage borderline behaviour, it is close to Clockwork Orange.

At least thinking about Sharia law pushes us out of stasis to wondering if society is working as we expect it to. “Long prison sentences” is akin to saying “harder to remove underware” in this context.