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9/11 Trial in New York
#1
NYTimes.com


WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Wednesday defended his decision to prosecute five men accused as co-conspirators in the Sept. 11 attacks in federal court in Manhattan, declaring that while he believes “we are at war,” that the venue was the best place to pursue the case against them.

The attorney general is planning to prosecute accused 9/11 co-conspirators in civilian court.

A protester, left, at the hearing, and relatives of victims of 9/11.
Despite criticism that holding such a trial presented greater risks than a military commission, Mr. Holder argued that there were fewer differences between the rules for federal court and the military panels than some critics realize. And, he argued, the Southern District of New York has a long history of successfully prosecuting terrorism suspects.

“We need not cower in the face of this enemy,” Mr. Holder said, testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Our institutions are strong, our infrastructure is ready, our resolve is firm, and our people are ready.”

But Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the ranking Republican, objected to characterization of opposition as cowardice. He argued that there were strong reasons to prosecute the accused, including Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-described mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, before a military court.

“It’s not cowering in fear of terrorists to decide the best way for this case to be tried is to be tried by a military commission,” Mr. Sessions said, adding: “I think there are clear advantages to trying cases by military as opposed to what can become a spectacle of a trial, with high-paid defense lawyers and others focused on using that as a forum.”

The Justice Department oversight hearing was dominated by debate over Mr. Holder’s announcement last week that the five accused as Sept. 11 co-conspirators would face prosecution in federal court. He also announced that five other detainees at the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba — including one accused of a playing a role in the 2000 attack on the U.S.S. Cole — would face trial before a military commission.

Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, said Wednesday that the office of the New York police commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly, had told him that if the Sept. 11 trial lasted a year, the cost of providing security could top $75 million, largely in overtime pay for the police. Mr. Holder assured Mr. Schumer that he would urge the federal government to reimburse the city for such costs.

“What we are doing is a national responsibility,” Mr. Holder said, “and although the trial will be hosted in New York, it seems fair to me that New York should not bear the burden alone.”

Other Democratic senators largely praised Mr. Holder’s decision to use civilian court for some trials. Senator Russ Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin, said it “shows the world that this country stands firmly behind its legal system and the Constitution.”

Republicans raised the concern that Mr. Mohammed would use a trial in New York as a platform for his Islamist ideology, creating a circus atmosphere. They also said that a civilian trial would risk the disclosure of classified intelligence sources and methods.

But Mr. Holder said that keeping the trial in a military commission would not avoid those risks. He said that judges in both kinds of trials have very similar authority for protecting sensitive information and for controlling unruly defendants.

“I’m not scared of what Khalid Shaikh Mohammed has to say at trial,” Mr. Holder said. “And no one else needs to be afraid either. I have every confidence that the nation and the world will see him for the coward that he is.”

Senators of both parties also pressed Mr. Holder to say what would happen if Mr. Mohammed or another detainee considered to be a dangerous terrorist was acquitted on a technicality or given a short sentence. Mr. Holder has said he will direct prosecutors to seek a death sentence in the Sept. 11 case.

Other Justice Department officials have said that even if Mr. Mohammed is acquitted, the Obama administration will keep him locked up forever as a “combatant” under the laws of war. But Mr. Holder largely sidestepped such questions, instead simply asserting that he was confident that Mr. Mohammed would be convicted.

“Failure is not an option,” Mr. Holder said.

That assertion drew a rebuke from Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa.

“I don’t know how you can make a statement that failure to convict is not an option, when you’ve got juries in this country,” Mr. Grassley said. “I think a lot of Americans thought O. J. Simpson ought to be convicted of murder, rather than being in jail for what he’s in jail for now. It seemed to me ludicrous.”

Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, said he thought there was little chance that Mr. Mohammed would be acquitted. But he argued that Mr. Holder’s decision was a mistake for a different reason: in the future, he said, interrogators facing a freshly captured terrorist would fear jeopardizing a later prosecution.

“If you’re going to prosecute anybody in civilian court, our law is clear that the moment custodial interrogation occurs, the criminal defendant is entitled to a lawyer and to be informed of their right to remain silent,” Mr. Graham said. “The big problem I have is that you’re criminalizing the war.”

But Mr. Holder argued that Mr. Graham was raising a “red herring” because the government has ample evidence to prosecute high-level terrorists like the Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, should he be captured. For that reason, interrogators need not worry about giving such a detainee a lawyer in order to make sure that their initial statements after being captured could be used as evidence.

Senators from both parties entered into the record letters and statements from family members and friends of the Sept. 11 victims that espoused opposing views on the trial. Several relatives in the audience said they disagreed with Mr. Holder.

John Owens, a Long Island man whose brother Peter Owens Jr. died in the north tower of the World Trade Center, said during a break that Mr. Holder’s decision was “a slap in the face.” He noted that Mr. Mohammed had said he wanted to plead guilty before a military commission, before the Obama administration shut those proceedings down shortly after taking office.

“They were so close to having it done with, and now we’re going to have to go through with this all over again,” Mr. Owens said.

In his testimony, Mr. Holder said that no one knew whether Mr. Mohammed still wanted to plead guilty, in a commission or otherwise.

“The determination I make on where I think we can best try these cases is not dependent on the whims or the desires of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed,” Mr. Holder said. :fedup:
#2
This is so wrong on many levels.
Using our Constitutional rights for these "people" in the end will do these trials in.
#3
According to 'The Local' Germany's news in English...

Berlin to send observers to 9/11 trials
Published: 23 Nov 09 15:00 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20091123-23463.html

Germany will send observers to the trials of the five men suspected of plotting the September 11 terrorist attacks to ensure they are not sentenced to death on the basis of evidence provided by Berlin, a spokesman said on Monday.

Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger "has made clear that observers will follow the trial," her spokesman said at a regular government news conference.

She expects a deal struck between Berlin and Washington that elements of evidence obtained in Germany will not be used to condemn the men to death "would be respected," the spokesman added.

The September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington were partly planned in Hamburg, in northern Germany. Like other EU member states, Germany has no death penalty.

The five men, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, face trial at a courthouse close to Ground Zero, where thousands died after Al-Qaida extremists flew hijacked airliners into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre.

US President Barack Obama, defending plans to try the men in a civilian court, predicted last week that Sheikh Mohammed would be convicted and said the death sentence applied to him.

THE CIRCUS BEGINS! :HitWall:
#4
Joe Friday Wrote:US President Barack Obama, defending plans to try the men in a civilian court, predicted last week that Sheikh Mohammed would be convicted and said the death sentence applied to him.

THE CIRCUS BEGINS! :HitWall:
hopefully the president hasn't spoken out to prejudice a jury. Wouldn't want to have to invite Mohammad over for some beers
#5
nky Wrote:hopefully the president hasn't spoken out to prejudice a jury. Wouldn't want to have to invite Mohammad over for some beers

You may have uncovered his plan.................mistrial followed by beer summit to celebrate.
#6
Joe Friday Wrote:You may have uncovered his plan.................mistrial followed by beer summit to celebrate.

Im sure bush will be there Smile
#7
Wildcatk23 Wrote:Im sure bush will be there Smile

Yeah - GW could pick up VP Cheney and they all could hunting!Big Grin
#8
Joe Friday Wrote:Yeah - GW could pick up VP Cheney and they all could hunting!Big Grin

Yeah Smile, We all remember how that turned out.
#9
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bill Zeiser at [email]bill.zeiser@gmail.com[/email] (516) 448-5489

Website: http://www.911neverforget.us

SPEAKER LIST FOR THE 9/11 NEVER FORGET COALITION DECEMBER 5 RALLY


When: Saturday, December 5th, 2009 12:00 noon; Where: Foley Square, New York City; Who: The 9/11 Never Forget Coalition, a diverse group of 9/11 victims, family members, first responders, active and reserve members of the military, veterans, and concerned Americans, is holding a major rally on December 5th to protest Attorney General Eric Holder’s plan to bring the 9/11 terrorist conspirators to trial in New York City.


Confirmed speakers list:


DAVID BEAMER David Beamer is the father of Todd Beamer, a passenger on United Flight 93, which was hijacked on September 11.

TIM BROWN Tim Brown is a retired, decorated 20-year FDNY firefighter and a survivor of the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

DEBRA BURLINGAME Debra Burlingame is the sister of Charles F. "Chic" Burlingame, III, pilot of American Airlines flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

BRIAN DENNEHY Brian Dennehy is an acclaimed actor and will speak on behalf of his friend Judea Pearl, the father of reporter Danny Pearl, who Khalid Shiekh Mohammed admits murdering.

CURTIS SLIWA Curtis Sliwa is a national radio talk show host heard in 20 cities around America. He is founder and director of the Guardian Angels.

RON AND ROBIN GRIFFIN Ron and Robin are the Gold Star Parents of Army Specialist Kyle Andrew Griffin, 20, Bronze Star recipient killed in Iraq on May 20, 2003.

JAMES HANSON Jim served in the US Army Special Forces and is the co-founder of the Warrior Legacy Foundation.

LEE A. IELPI In March 2004, Lee, co-founded the Tribute WTC Visitor Center located across from the World Trade Center site in New York. He is the father of FDNY Firefighter Jonathan Ielpi, of Squad 288, who responded to the World Trade Center and perished on September 11, 2001.

DR. M. ZUHDI JASSER Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser is the Chairman of the Board, founding member, and President of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD). He is one of the moderate, anti-Islamist Muslims featured in the controversial PBS film, Islam v Islamists.

EDITH LUTNICK Edie Lutnick is a Co-founder, Officer, and the Executive Director of The Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund, a 501 © 3 charity established September 14, 2001.

STEVE MALZBERG Steve Malzberg, one of America's most recognizable faces and voices on the political talk scene, is a talk show host on WOR Radio in New York City and on the WOR Radio Network.

ANDREW C. McCARTHY Andrew C. McCarthy is a former federal prosecutor and a Contributing Editor with National Review Online.

LAUREN MANNING Lauren Manning is a former Managing Director and Partner at Cantor Fitzgerald. On September 11, 2001, Lauren was catastrophically injured in the attacks on the World Trade Center.

GREG MANNING Greg was most recently Partner at Cantor Fitzgerald. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller, 'LOVE, GREG & LAUREN: A Powerful True Story of Courage, Hope, and Survival.'

TERESA MULLAN Teresa Mullan is the mother of FDNY Firefighter Michael Dermott Mullan, 34, Ladder 12 in Chelsea, who responded to the World Trade Center and perished on September 11, 2001.

PETER REGAN Peter Regan is an active FDNY firefighter, and U.S. Marine who served two tours in Iraq and is a 9/11 family member. He lost his dad, Firefighter Donald Regan, FDNY Rescue Co. 3.

DANIEL RODRIGUEZ Daniel Rodriguez is an operatic tenor from New York City. In the aftermath of September 11, he received widespread attention with his rendition of "God Bless America.”
#10
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaV3dymPzYA&feature=related"]YouTube- "Part Of Jihad Is To Tie-Up Lower Manhattan" Debra Burlingame[/ame]
#11
By RICHARD ESPOSITO
Jan. 6, 2010

New York City projects it will cost more than $400 million to provide security if the pre-trial preparation and trial of the suspects in the Sept. 11 terror attacks takes two years, which insiders say is virtually certain, according to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The cost of the upcoming terror trials in this New York City courthouse for Guantanamo Bay detainees charged as 9/11 co-conspirators, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will likely be more than $400 million and could go as high as $600 million.

It will cost another $206 million annually if the trial runs beyond two years, which some fear is possible, the mayor's office estimates.

In a letter to the director of the federal Office of Management and Budget supporting Sen. Charles Schumer's proposal for federal reimbursement, Bloomberg projected a first year security price tag of $216 million and an ongoing annual cost of $206 million. "The City of New York's financial resources are in short supply," Bloomberg wrote. "Thus securing the trial will require us to pull existing personnel from crime prevention resources from around the city." The civilian trial of the Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and five other suspects in the attacks that killed nearly 2,750 civilians will take place in a Manhattan federal courthouse just blocks from where the towers stood.

Mohammed has already admitted his guilt, so how does B. Hussein Obama justify this colossal waste of money?
#12
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35132816/ns/...-security/

Looks like B. Hussein lost another one! Where do you think the trial will end up...Alexandria, VA, Governor's Island, NY, West Point, NY, Newburg, NY, or Gitmo?

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