Posted on Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 3:55 p.m.
Trying Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in federal court a bad idea
By Cindy Heflin
In this March 1, 2003, file picture, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is seen shortly after his capture during a raid in Pakistan.
AP photo
"Some months ago, Mohammed and his confederates, facing trial by a military commission, announced they wanted to plead guilty and be duly executed. Their wish should have been granted," the editorial says.
The trial will risk the leaking of sensitive intelligence information to al-Qaida or other terrorists, the editorial says, because criminal defendants have access to all kinds of government information.
A trial before a military commission is a much safer alternative, the editorial says.
Comments
David Briegel
Sat, Nov 21, 2009 : 9:50 p.m.
Longfellow, what the heck does any of this have to do with one nut at Ft. Hood? The Army is noted for it's bureaucratic incompetence. Our hero MacChrystal gave Tillman a Silver Star for being killed by friendly fire! We are engaged in numerous follies that will assure we are at war in perpetuity! Aren't we the greatest?
Bill Wilson
Sat, Nov 21, 2009 : 12:21 p.m.
Amazing how the right-wingers -- who love to yelp about how patriotic they are -- seem to have the least faith in this country's institutions. KSM is being tried in exactly the right place, as opposed to those kangaroo courts we call "military commissions." Yeah...look how well the new system worked at Ft. Hood.
AAFish
Sat, Nov 21, 2009 : 10:44 a.m.
Amazing how the right-wingers -- who love to yelp about how patriotic they are -- seem to have the least faith in this country's institutions. KSM is being tried in exactly the right place, as opposed to those kangaroo courts we call "military commissions."
Terrin
Fri, Nov 20, 2009 : 11:20 p.m.
Please oh powerful government protect me from the bad evil man. I am so afraid to wake up and walk out in the streets because this man might escape. I cower in fear just from his man's name.
David Briegel
Fri, Nov 20, 2009 : 3:19 p.m.
Sorry Guys but you are simply wrong about the keeping us safe idea. Our own military and intelligence people say it every single day now that they are no longer stifled by the neocon lies. Jihadists are made every day by our futile mistakes. Not one of you talked about my shining city on the hill! I guess the difference is I believe in American justice! The chicken hawks couldn't capture Shirley Temple when their "steadfast and resolve" turns to cut and run! Tora Bora!? They did get Pat Tillman. Is an aspirin factory worse than an innocent village? Collateral damage? You think Clinton chose the target or the CIA? Good post Basic Bob!
Basic Bob
Fri, Nov 20, 2009 : 12:30 p.m.
As long as this guy has been in custody there can't be too many secrets left. Except maybe from the American people. Who would imagine the Republicans as the cheap heroin party? They destabilize legitimate governments in poor countries, flood the streets with dope, crack down on the poor junkies, and blame the liberals.
Bill Wilson
Fri, Nov 20, 2009 : 12:09 p.m.
David, You ask us to imagine Clinton to be as successful as Bush or Cheney? Neither Bush nor Cheney had the ability to physically capture or kill Bin Laden: Clinton did. Instead, he chose to spend his time exploiting interns and committing perjury in an attempt to "fix" a federal civil rights trial. But let's give him some credit: he did bomb an aspirin factory. Since 9/11, the policies put in place have foiled many, many attempts at terrorism here in the continental United States. Google it: New York itself has been the victim of several attempts. As for the innocent nation of Iraq, Ramzi Yousef, the Al Qaeda mastermind of the first WTC attack (and many, many other attacks), and his cohorts were caught red-handed travelling with Iraqi issued passports, which Al Qaeda obtained at will. Google it. We heard a lot about the need for an immediate withdrawal during the election. Since taking office, Obama seems to be following the same script Bush followed. Small wonder. We either fight the roots of terrorism there, or we do it here. Ft. Hood demonstrated what can happen when we forget the lessons learned on 9/11. Bush was quite correct: we are engaged in a war that we will likely not see an end to in our lifetime.
David Briegel
Fri, Nov 20, 2009 : 9:52 a.m.
Imagine if Bill Clinton had been as successful as Bush and Cheney. You would be having a hairy fit! Clinton should have caught or killed Osama I heard repeated a million times. But poor, hapless George couldn't possibly be held to any kind of standard. So, why didn't your heroes execute him? They preferred torture, their value! Kept us safe? Surely you jest. Jihadists are made every day who will come here to avenge the mostly innocents we "collaterally damaged" with the follies in both Afghanistan and Iraq while letting Osama go free. We did get Pat Tillman though. While we support corrupt governments in both places the Taliban actually run 80% of Afghanistan and Iraq is still suffering from the disintegration we caused. But then, what's a few trillion amongst you "fiscal conservatives"? Just as our CIA was in bed with the cocaine dealersduring Iran Contra we are seeing an increase in the heroin production under our nose. Coincidence?
David Briegel
Fri, Nov 20, 2009 : 8:02 a.m.
I am proud that we are no longer cowering in the fear stirred up by the chicken hawk NEOCON's with kidnapping, torture, concentration camps and perpetual war profiteering as our values and are attempting to once again become that "shining city on the hill" and stand for our values of truth, justice and the American way. We can safely house prisoners in our prisons and we can have fair trials for all to see. That is who we really are!
Eric64
Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 10:26 p.m.
Let pakistan have his head.
Eric64
Thu, Nov 19, 2009 : 10:25 p.m.
Send him back to his home country to face trail.