Accused 9/11 Terrorists to Get Trial in New York
13 November 2009 11:24 am by Taylor Marsh
updated
Justice is on its way. The person I’m thinking about today being Kirsten Breitweiser, whom I interviewed a couple of years ago, and how badly she wanted to see Khalid Sheikh Mohammed brought to justice and how concerned she was that the Bush-Cheney “harsh interrogation techniques” would circumvent that reality. But it’s all about to begin.
Rep. Joe Sestak was on Fox today via phone talking with Bill Hemmer about this action by Holder. To say that the exchange was combative is an understatement. Hemmer asking if Sestak’s support for this move was to appease those on the left. Sestak would have none of it, swatting Hemmer down, but the editorial point was made. The right will come out hard on this one, which has already begun, with Rep. Peter King saying the decision makes New York City a target now all over again.
Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-described mastermind of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and four other men accused in the plot will be prosecuted in federal court in New York City, the United States attorney general announced Friday.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. announced those decisions in a news conference Friday at the Department of Justice. The arrangements would mean that civilian prosecutors would handle those detainees accused of the 2001 terrorist attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, northern Virginia and Pennsylvania, while the 2000 attack against the Cole would remain within the military system.
No detainee is being moved right away. Under a law Congress enacted this year, lawmakers must be given 45 days notice before the executive branch moves any Guantánamo Bay detainee onto United States soil.
Michael Isikoff, during the televised briefing, addressing the issue of torture and that because of “harsh interrogation techniques, inevitably defense lawyers attorneys are going to seek full disclosure about the circumstances on how these detainees were treated while in U.S. custody and want to get as much of that before the jury as they can.”
Isikoff then asked what the Justice Dept.’s decision would be on whether they’d be allowed the “full story” of how they were treated while in U.S. custody. To which Holder replied that it depended on “relevance” and “how relevant were those statements” and will they be used. “Quite confident” that they will be successful, with Holder saying he’s got evidence that has not been discussed that makes him feel sure Justice will prevail.
This is going to be an incredible historical drama to watch unfold. Holder will seek the death penalty for the five 9/11 conspirators. There is a long way to go before this day and hell.
