Attorney General Eric Holder speaks during a news conference
at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. on Friday,
November 13, 2009.
In a press conference Friday, United States Attorney General Eric Holder announced that there will be a trial held in a New York City courtroom for the five accused September 11 conspirators presently in custody in the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, and that the Department of Justice prosecutors would seek the death penalty in the trial.
A White House administration official reported earlier on Friday that the Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, accused mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks on targets in the United States, and four other detainees will be tried in a New York City court.
Concerning the decision on the trial, President Obama stated, while on his eight day trip to Asia, “I am absolutely convinced that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will be subject to the most exacting demands of justice. The American people will insist on it. My administration will insist on it.”
“After eight years of delay, those allegedly responsible for [the] attacks of September the 11th will finally face justice,” Holder said in his statement. “I am confident in the ability of our courts to provide these defendants a fair trial, just as they have for over 200 years.”
In addition, Holder said that the Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the alleged perpetrator of the bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, will be sent to be tried in a military tribunal.
As expected, conservatives offered criticism to the planned action.
Representative Buck McKeon (R-CA), the ranking member of the GOP on the House Armed Services committee remarked in a statement, “The President’s decision to bring 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to the United States for trial in the United States federal courts will once again delay bringing justice to the victims and their families, introduces unnecessary risk to the citizens of New York and undermines the legitimacy of the military commissions system.”
Conservative Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) said that it was "inconceivable" that the Justice Department would bring "these alleged terrorists back to New York for trial, to the scene of the carnage they created eight years ago."
Despite all of the criticism from the Right, they did not offer any counter solutions, just as they have not previously attempted to find a solution to the dilemma, despite having almost eight years to do so.
Concerning the trial, Kristen Breitweiser who lost her husband tin the 9/11 attacks, stated to CNN, “Some would say New York would now be a target by allowing his [Mohammed's] trial to take place in New York, but I disagree. It would give many of us access to attend the hearings. This will be our opportunity to see justice served and have our day in court.” She added, “Our ability to prosecute terrorists successfully in open courtrooms has less to do with [our] judicial process and more to do with Bush's policy on torture that will make these prosecutions more difficult.”
In his statement to the press, Holder also commented on the progress of the closing of the Guantanamo detention facility, saying, “I think it's going to be difficult to close the facility by Jan. 22, and one of the things that is most problematic ... is finding places where they can be safely placed, both for the nation that will host them and for American citizens.”
Copyright © 2009 by Raymond Gellner
Comments
This may never happen.
Fly off to Japan and drop a bomb on the relatives of the thousands that lost their lives to these terrorists. Allow your corrupt AG announce it. On a Friday evening. And the POTUS is away. Nice.
Let KSM see first hand the site that his fellow Jihadists dropped.
To allow this is to defeat America.
"they did not offer any counter solutions"
Just how liberals LIE and say the Republicans have no counter health care proposal. There exists HR 3400 from the republicans. Now the liberal Ray says they have no Counter proposal for the terrorist. The thruth is that Obama is the counter proposal. The plan was to give them a military trial since they are not US citizens and are thus not covered by our laws. So Obama went from a nice smooth system (the military) to a chaotic circus of a civil trial in NY.
Consequences, since this is going to happen in a circus, we have a chance to end up with our next OJ. What will happen to Obama and the Democrats if even one for these admited killers are set free due to an insane liberal from NY as a member of a jury? A crazy liberal judge could also cause them to be set free somehow. I would hate to see one of them go free but if one did get away it would be the end of the Democrats.
Another possible problem is that with a public trial the terrorists now have a public target to strike. There is a chance of a juror or people at the court house to be killed.
These and several other unforseen consequences could end the Democrat party. The Democrats just do not understand the box of knives they just threw up in the air. Its too late to save them now so lets just sit back and see what happens!
Any news on ACORN Ray?
Any news on Honduras Ray?
I demand Mr Gellner here is the FIRST JUROR. Hows that?
I want Mr Gellner to talk face to face with the survivors and relatives of the victims of this Islamist's terrorism. Wait until we see SKM laughing as rides by the site of his proudest day. HE will proudly holler Alu Akbar as he rides by.
This public trial will be a circus. It will be KSM's political soapbox. Al Qauida theater on display every day of the long trial.
Obama said today, ""resist the temptation to turn this tragic event into the political theater."
What was he talking about? Ft Hood. Why? Asking congress to not yet investigate the 1st Islamist terror attack on American soil in 8 years. He doesn't want congress "to turn this tragic event into the political theater."
Yet he WANTS that theater in a NYC courtroom within sight of ground zero.
This shal not be allowed to take place. It will be stopped.
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