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The Spectacle Blog
Attorney General Eric Holder announced that 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad will be tried by military tribunal rather than in a civilian court. The commision that will try KSM will reportedly convene at Guantanamo Bay. White House press secretary Jay Carney just told a reporter that the president agrees with this decision. The administration has finally bowed to the wishes of millions of Americans concerned about the national security implications of trying a 9/11 mass murderer in open court in Manhattan.
At the same time, the decision is a setback for civil libertarians who placed their faith in President Obama. On the same day Obama announced his bid for reelection, the president agreed to a military trial he once opposed to be held at a prison he once vowed to close.
UPDATE: Here’s a statement from Rep. Peter King (R-NY), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee:
Today’s decision to abandon plans to try admitted 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-conspirators in civilian court in New York City is a long-awaited step in the right direction.
As I have been saying since day one, these terror trials belong in a military commission at Guantanamo. I am absolutely shocked that it took Attorney General Holder 507 days to come to this realization.
Today’s reversal is yet another vindication of President Bush’s detention policies by the Obama Administration, and is welcome news to the families of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, who will finally see long-awaited justice.
Here’s Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY): “This means with certainty that the trial will not be in New York. While not unexpected, this is the final nail in the coffin of that wrong-headed idea. I have always said that the perpetrators of this horrible crime should get the ultimate penalty, and I believe this proposal by the administration can make that happen.”
View all comments (27) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by W. James Antle, III
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/04/04/no-civilian-trial-for-ksm
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Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 4.4.11 @ 1:12PM
Never fear. This announcement indicates that they will select a jury of Nidal Hasan lickable leader types from the military so that the indicted terrorists get off with an apology and a plane ticket home.
Holder and Obama are both terrorist lovers so I wouldn't expect much.
Alan Brooks| 4.4.11 @ 3:06PM
Forget about lethal injection, KSM needs to meet old Sparky.
Jonah| 4.4.11 @ 4:16PM
I thought Liberals abhored violence. Guess not.
Alan Brooks| 4.4.11 @ 7:48PM
"I thought Liberals abhored violence. Guess not."
So when my liberal dad fought in WWII (before your parents time) he was mistaken?
Jonah| 4.4.11 @ 8:58PM
When Liberal hippy scumbags spat on my older brother returning home from Vietnam--were they mistaken?
Alan Brooks| 4.4.11 @ 9:22PM
"When Liberal hippy scumbags spat on my older brother returning home from Vietnam--were they mistaken?"
When you interfere in a civil war you have to WIN.
Jonah| 4.4.11 @ 10:36PM
So, if there's no clear-cut victory in Afghanistan or Iraq, you'll be out there spitting on our soldiers and calling them babykillers when they come home?
Do you scream obscenities at their funerals, too?
Dixie Pixie| 4.4.11 @ 4:19PM
Greetings Alan and Bill
Under the Geneva Conventions of War, non-uniformed combatants not under the control of any nation/state or government making unlawful war against civilians and innocents can be summary executed after convection in a lawful trial.
The entire purpose was to force all combatants under the lawful governance of a national military at the penalty of summary execution if they did not do so.
The US is well within International Law if it had a Drum-head Military Court to find if the people were Al Qaeda members making War on civilians.
Al the Military Court needs to prove is the person was (1) not uniformed, (2) not under the control of a government, (3) Making War on Civilians or plotting to do so.
If so the Marine Commandant is well within his duty to take the convected down to Gitmo Bay, put a bullet through their heads and feed the sharks.
But that would take guts on the part of our national leadership.
PattyMor| 4.4.11 @ 1:35PM
And please explain why the Rat Party confirmed Eric Holder in the first place. And, why is he still the Attorney General? This vile, attorney is a hack and a shill for the VERY far left. Its so far left that he isnt' anything remotely American.
Alan Brooks| 4.4.11 @ 3:22PM
"9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four alleged henchmen"
Yeah, right, ALLEGED henchmen. Perhaps Jack Ruby was Oswald's alleged killer.
Alan Brooks| 4.4.11 @ 7:52PM
..maybe Hinckley ALLEGEDLY shot Reagan in '81?
Come to think of it, is KSM the ALLEGED mastermind of all those conspiracies?
Michael L. Hauschild| 4.4.11 @ 1:43PM
Well at least we are headed in the right direction. Let me know when they buy him a reindeer suit and ship him off to Alaska for the Ceremonial Inauguration Safari.
Alan Brooks| 4.4.11 @ 3:24PM
He gets his 72 baby prostitutes in Hell.
Richard Baker| 4.4.11 @ 2:37PM
But wait! Day ain't over, yet. His next bowel movement may change todays decision. One never knows.
Dixie Pixie| 4.4.11 @ 3:45PM
A.G. Holder is one unique piece of work.
And yes PattyMor, he is the very definition of a Partisan Party Hack.
From the Elian Gonzalez Affair to the Black Panthers Case, A.G. Holder has proved that the Law, US Constitution or Common Decency will never stand in the way of the Democratic Party whims or wants.
For example, In the last press conference A.G. Holder expressed the Democratic Party's distaste at the concept of a Death Penalty by floating the bogus argument that he found it difficult to believe a person would plead guilty to a death penalty.
This is despite the fact two convected Al Qaeda members wanted the maximum penalty under the Muslim theory that the greater the punishment endured the greater the martyrdom achieved.
Yes Patty, You can be assured that A.G. Holder will twist Law, Legal Logic, Reason and even Perceived Reality into whatever form the Democratic Party requires.
Jonah| 4.4.11 @ 4:20PM
Obama and GWB have morphed into one. GWB bankrupted us with his foreign spending mis-adventures and Obama is bankrupting us with his domestic spending mis-adventures.
Democrat and Democrat-lite.
Boris Badinoff| 4.4.11 @ 6:41PM
Bull-dinky and LOL @ you!
You're just plain isolationist. Admit it, c'mon.
Jonah| 4.4.11 @ 9:03PM
Easy for a fat-assed chickenhawk like you to say. Enlist if you like bloodshed so much--at least it would be YOUR blood that's being shed this time.
Boris Badinoff| 4.4.11 @ 9:11PM
Tsk, tsk. Personal attacks~ the last refuge of the scoundrel. And coward to boot!
Jonah| 4.4.11 @ 9:25PM
There's nothing courageous about mindlessly sending other women's children to die for something you won't fight for.
That would make YOU the scoundrel and/or a fat assed chickenhawk. Both apply.
victor| 4.4.11 @ 9:28PM
Don't mind Margie/Boris B ~ she's off her meds again! Poor thing. LOL
The Whale| 4.4.11 @ 11:09PM
Hey Jonah,
I hear there's a big fish looking for ya out there. He wants you over for din din. ;^)
Jonah| 4.5.11 @ 2:16AM
Is that whale's name Margie?
Tina B| 4.4.11 @ 8:13PM
And only moments ago I thought Jonah wanted to go fight in Ivory Coast. Isolationist J?
Jonah| 4.4.11 @ 9:06PM
You misunderstood; it's the hypocrisy of selective intervention that upsets me.
Mickey D's| 4.4.11 @ 11:06PM
You're just two fries short of a Happy Meal there, son. Enjoy!
Jonah| 4.5.11 @ 2:18AM
I'm sure you've had more than your fair share of Happy Meals, Ms. Whale.