President Obama's advisers are nearing a recommendation that Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, be prosecuted in a military tribunal, administration officials said, a step that would reverse Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.'s plan to try him in civilian court in New York City.
The president's advisers feel increasingly hemmed in by bipartisan opposition to a federal trial in New York and demands, mainly from Republicans, that Mohammed and his accused co-conspirators remain under military jurisdiction, officials said. While Obama has favored trying some terrorism suspects in civilian courts as a symbol of U.S. commitment to the rule of law, critics have said military tribunals are the appropriate venue for those accused of attacking the United States.
If Obama accepts the likely recommendation of his advisers, the White House may be able to secure from Congress the funding and legal authority it needs to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and replace it with a facility within the United States. The administration has failed to meet a self-imposed one-year deadline to close Guantanamo.
The administration officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the president's legal advisers are finalizing their review of the cases of Mohammed and four alleged co-conspirators. Asked about the process, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said that "no decisions have been made."
Privately, administration officials are bracing for the ire of disappointed liberals and even some government lawyers should the administration back away from promises to use civilian courts to adjudicate the cases of some of the 188 detainees who remain at Guantanamo.
'A sad day'
Marine Col. Jeffrey Colwell, acting chief defense counsel at the Defense Department's Office of Military Commissions, said it would be a "sad day for the rule of law" if Obama decides not to proceed with a federal trial. "I thought the decision where to put people on trial -- whether federal court or military commissions -- was based on what was right, not what is politically advantageous," Colwell said.
Administration officials said that an announcement could come soon and that they hoped to finalize their plans before Obama leaves for Indonesia on March 18....(read the rest here)
Read that again - slowly, and then tell me what is so hard to understand. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed IS a war criminal.
Still not convinced that the ONLY place that KSM must be tried for his crimes against America? Take a look:
[There may well be tech issues with this embed.. If there are, go here to view the video, which is where I found it originally. Or you can find it at Wake Up America, at the link following. ]
[...] The president's advisers feel increasingly hemmed in by bipartisan opposition to a federal trial in New York and demands, mainly from Republicans, that Mohammed and his accused co-conspirators remain under military jurisdiction, officials said. While Obama has favored trying some terrorism suspects in civilian courts as a symbol of U.S. commitment to the rule of law, critics have said military tribunals are the appropriate venue for those accused of attacking the United States....
Khalid Sheik Mohammed's civil rights????????
Are you freaking kidding me???????
How about the rights of the families still mourning their losses? How about the inherent dangers of a public civilian trial where sensitive intelligence and information would be revealed thereby endangering our nation?
How about liberals stop trying to protect terrorists that brutally murdered our citizens and attacked our country and think about protecting our country instead?
[...]
Wake Up America has more to say on this, and you can read it here.
WUA ends with:
Do not speak to me about Khalid Sheik Mohammed's civil rights, he gave them up when he masterminded 9/11.
And that IS the truth. To even consider trying KSM in a civil court, when he has confessed to masterminding very UNcivil terrorist acts against America, is beyond absurd. It is a travesty.
As Colonel Colwell says (above), a military trial is the only option for KSM, based on:
"...what was right, not what is politically advantageous..."
Enough, already. KSM is a terrorist, plain and simple. He is not an American, and he does not warrant any civil rights accorded American citizens. BHO and Holder need to stop playing politics and do what is RIGHT: KSM must be tried and convicted in a military trial.
Since Attorney General Holder announced that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his terrorist cohorts would be tried in a civilian court in New York - just blocks away from Ground Zero, the site of the worst terrorist attacks on US soil - Americans have raised their voices in protest. The families directly impacted by that act of war have spoken out. I shared an interview with Diane Fairben, mother of Keith, a paramedic who rushed to the scene on that awful day.
In that interview, Diane said, in part:
..this was an act of war. They had an agenda and were military trained...
...it makes me physically ill that they should be near to hallowed ground, which is what that is to us. Bringing them that close to ground zero is like bringing them to the cemetary where Keith is...
Pat Buchanan wrote on this here. He asks the question: "Is America at War?" Dick Cheney also went on the record with his views. Take a look here.Daniel Pearl's parents have protested loudly on the government's intent to try these terrorists in NY:
Friends,
On behalf of the Daniel Pearl Foundation, we wish to join you today in a call to reverse Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to try America’s new-type of enemies in New York Federal court.
We wish to add to your rally the perspective of our own personal tragedy which, in many ways, has come to symbolize the depth of inhumanity that has swept our planet in the 21st century, and the sense of urgency with which this planet is currently watching your rally, in New York City, a rally that may very well hold the key to the future of open society.
We, who witnessed the darkest side of hell, and have since spent every moment of our lives studying the anatomy of terror, we refuse to accept the strategy of normalization that Holder’s decision represents. [emphasis mine]Terror is a crime against society, and should not be tried in the same court as crimes against individuals or against a particular country....[Read the rest of this impassioned plea here]
The New York Times also published an interview with Judea Pearl:
Daniel Pearl's dad is sickened by Obama's 9/11 trial decision
By CARL CAMPANILE
Last Updated: 12:29 PM, November 14, 2009
Posted: 3:15 AM, November 14, 2009
The father of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl slammed the Obama administration's decision to hold a public trial for admitted 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed -- who boasted of killing his son in Pakistan.
Judea Pearl said he was "sick to the stomach" when he heard that the Justice Department decided to prosecute Mohammed in Manhattan federal court.
"I don't want to hear every morning in the papers what KSM did," Pearl told The Post last night. "Danny was killed once. Now he will be killed 10 times a day. Leave him alone." [read the rest of that here]
David Beamer, father of Todd, has also protested long and loud on the spectre of KSM having a pulpit in NY from which to spew his hatred. Watch one of his interviews here.
And the list goes on and on, with many adding their voices in outrage at Holder's decision to give these terrorists - killers who have openly declared war on America - all the rights of American citizens.
One of the most eloquent - and poignant - 9/11 family members to speak out against Holder's ill-considered plans to hold these trials in civilian court is Peter Regan.:
November 25, 2009
These killers don't deserve the rights of Americans
Stop the trial, Mr. President
Excerpts from Peter Regan's remarks yesterday at a press conference on protests against the "9/11 trial" being held in New York.
I AM here today to express my opinion on this administration's recent decision to put terrorists from a foreign land on trial in a civilian court of law of the United States of America.
I am an American. I am a United States Marine, a New York City firefighter and the son of a New York City firefighter killed on 9/11.
As an American, I believe in the Constitution of the United States. I believe that the rights it guarantees are reserved for American citizens -- not handed out freely to people serving a destructive ideology. The rights that Americans have fought to protect for Americans should not be gifted to people who seek the destruction of this nation. [here, courtesy of Family Security Matters.]
On December 5, many groups came together to rally in protest against this disgraceful decision. Families of the 9/11 victims have formed numerous groups under the umbrella title of Keep America Safe.Debra Burlingame is one of the public faces of the 9/11 families:
My brother was Charles (Chic) Burlingame, captain of American Airlines Flight 77, which was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
Now I am one of the organizers of a rally being held at noon this Saturday in Foley Square to stop President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and members of Congress from bringing sworn enemies of the United States into this country – from bringing war criminals captured on the battlefield, lawfully held as war detainees, into civilian court.
It doesn’t have to happen. We who are opposed to the decision must make ourselves perfectly clear to the powers that be that we will not tolerate this decision.
Two weeks ago, 300 family members of 9/11 victims sent a letter to the President telling him we adamantly oppose this dangerous and unnecessary act. The letter was never acknowledged. Then, one hour after the attorney general made his stunning announcement that unlawful foreign combatants would be tried as civilians, the number of signers to that letter jumped to 45,000. By the end of the day the number was 100,000. Our Internet server couldn’t handle the volume of Americans who had somehow found out about this letter and wished to stand with us.
The attorney general has suggested that those who oppose prosecuting these men here in New York City are afraid – that we somehow don’t have the courage to face Khalid Shaikh Mohammed in court.
How dare this man, who didn’t have the decency to notify victims’ families of his decision to bring these monsters here, imply that we lack courage. Courage is carrying on after watching your loved ones die, in real time, knowing that they burned to death, were crushed to death, or jumped from 100 flights high. Courage is carrying on, even as we waited, in some cases years, for something of our loved ones to bury. More than 1,100 families still wait. [read more here]
That rally was attended by thousands of outraged Americans. On a rainy NY day, many stood to tell Holder that these killers should not be tried in civilian court. One was Charles "Cully" D. Stimson. Uncle Jimbo of BlackFive video-taped his speech to the crowd. You can watch that here.Hannity also hosted a special show last week with the 9/11 families. You can find more of that here.. One particular comment - among the many - on that site:
The idea of putting KSM on trial in a civial court amounts to treason. KSM has said that he wont's to be his own attorney. As such he could be given all information that we have in regards to his trial. A lot of this would be top secret. Both the Attorney General and the President are attorney's Giving him that information would be giving aide and comfort to our enemies. THAT is treason....(here)
Whether or not you agree that what Holder proposes is treason, America needs to keep the pressure on the politicians to reverse this decision which amounts to 'aid and comfort' of America's self-proclaimed enemies. The heat is on, as various politicians start join the many Americans who know that this is wrong.
THIS is where your mission lies. Keep America Safe has issued an "Action Alert: Raise your voice today"... It says, in part:
With this new coalition, we can combine the firepower of all supporting organizations to target this one specific issue for reversal. This effort has been met with overwhelming support. Since its inception, the Coalition has gained the support of the Center for Security Policy, ACT For America and the Uniformed Retired Firefighters Association, among others.
The rally in New York City was a warning shot to the members of Congress. Now the fight needs to move from the streets of New York to the offices of Congress. By a wide margin, recent polls show that Americans do not support this policy. We will target any member of Congress who ignores the will of the people on this issue.
Even if you don't receive a personal response, they are getting your messages. If you don't do anything, you will guarantee they will never hear you. Action is needed on your part -- on our part -- to preserve the chance that our voices will be heard and terrorists captured on the battlefield will be kept out of our civilian courts.
We are not asking you for your money or your vote; we are asking for something far more valuable: your time. This is not an appeal for you to do something for us. This is an appeal asking you to raise your voice.
Besides video reports, we encourage you to join the Coalition's Facebook page and file your report on its wall. You can also post a brief line directed to @Never911Forget on Twitter, telling the world who is with us and who stands against us. We also urge you to report your findings to local and national radio, telling the hosts what your representatives told you. All of these things can make a difference and will keep the pressure on Congress.
Let's find out who the real leaders are in the U.S. Congress and who is willing to fight back.
America, we cannot let this stand. Raise your voices - TODAY - to tell all the politicians they need to be on the record telling Holder that these terrorists - war criminals - must NOT be tried in a New York civilian court room. In the Keep America Safe Action Alert quoted above, there is a link to every politician in the country. Today, contact every single one of them, and make your voices heard.
Do it for Keith, for his family, and all the other American families who lost their precious loved ones on 9/11.
What are you waiting for? Raise your voices, NOW!!!
