Defiant Reid is ‘expendable’ foot soldier, one of many in al-Qaeda, terrorism experts say. Richard Reid, who found his life’s purpose in the rhetoric of the terrorist group al-Qaeda, remains a true believer as he heads to prison. The British petty crook is as committed to a holy war against the West as he was on Dec. 22, 2001, when he tried to ignite explosives hidden in his shoe during a trans-Atlantic flight. Reid, 29, has pleaded guilty to eight counts in connection with the foiled bombing. On Thursday, he is expected to be sentenced to life in a federal prison. And given a chance to speak, Reid is likely to echo jailhouse writings in which he described himself as a soldier in a war that considers civilians targets. Full Story