Try KSM in a Kangaroo Court at GTMO? Fuhgeddaboudit.

 

In this new video, New Yorkers for 9/11 Justice are urging President Obama to do the right thing and prosecute Khalid Shiekh Mohammed and the other four 9/11 suspects in U.S. federal court. Why? The alternative–an unfair kangaroo court at Guantanamo–stinks. Agree? Sign the petition.

Personally, as a New Yorker who could see the Twin Towers from his living room and watched the second tower fall from Canal Street, I have a number of reasons for joining New Yorkers for 9/11 Justice Petition and supporting a federal court trial over a Guantanamo commission:

  • Federal courts are more effective: federal courts have successfully prosecuted over 400 terrorism related cases since 2001. Only five people have been convicted in Guantanamo commissions. Federal courts work.
  • Federal courts are fair: A federal court trial would demonstrate to ourselves and the rest of the world that we are true to our values of justice and due process.  Guantanamo commissions are an embarrassment. They don’t meet international, US or US military standards for fair trials.
  • Federal courts are safe and secure:For the past several weeks, Guantanamo detainee and alleged al-Qaeda terrorist Ahmed Ghailani has been on trial in downtown New York City–without incident, disruption or exorbitant cost.
  • Military commissions are opposed by members of the military: The Guantanamo commissions were not created by the military–they were created by politicians and called “military commissions” to try and give them legitimacy. Even Guantanamo military lawyers have come out against them.
  • We’d all want a fair trial if accused of a crime: It’s easy to trade away other peoples’ rights, but the reality is that all of our rights are tied together. When a government violates the rights of some, it undermines the rights of us all.

And finally, what often gets lost in the chorus of fear mongering is that victims and survivors of 9/11 have the right to justice. They have the right to see, after years of delay, those responsible for 9/11–a crime against humanity–held accountable. A Guantanamo kangaroo court denies this right. Only a fair trial can fulfill the right to justice. Let’s get on with it and try KSM in federal court.

Where do you think KSM should be tried? Let us know in the comments. Bonus points for being civil and avoiding the standard logical fallacies (here’s a useful list). Again, if you support fair trials, sign the petition.

AIUSA welcomes a lively and courteous discussion that follow our Community Guidelines. Comments are not pre-screened before they post but AIUSA reserves the right to remove any comments violating our guidelines.

11 thoughts on “Try KSM in a Kangaroo Court at GTMO? Fuhgeddaboudit.

  1. Zeke:

    Unlike other cases you mentioned, all the publicly known evidence against KSM, showing him to be indisputably the mastermind of 9-11 and the murder of almost 3000 souls, comes from sources completely inadmissible in federal court, such as illegal wiretaps carried out in foreign countries by shadowy intelligence agencies, and waterboarding/torture.

    So even though KSM fully confesses his guilt for 9-11 and is proud of his guilt and we all know he is guilty and so do you Zeke, as much as you know the sun will rise in the east tomorrow, the second he walks into a federal court you know darn well the all charges against him will be dropped due to total lack of legally admissible evidence and he will be free on the spot, without even a trial.

    Yes, free as a bird, free to return to a hero's welcome in Pakistan, free no doubt to immediately set about planning 9-11 Part Two, financed of course by the millions in compensation his lawyers will get him from the US government for being supposedly mistreated, plus the fat book and movie deals etc.

    Evidently your definition of the word "Justice" is not the same as my definition of the word "Justice".

  2. For Immediate Release
    http://peacefultomorrows.org/article.php?id=993

    Open Letter to A.G. Holder on 9/11 Trials
    November 11th, 2010

    Attorney General Holder:

    We, family members of those who died in the attacks of 9/11, entreat you to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his Guantanamo cohorts in federal courts that rely on the U.S. Constitution and the tenets of America's 200 year-old system of justice. The location is not of consequence, although New York, Virginia, or another venue in the East where most of the families reside, would be optimum.

    The overarching consideration is that these self-confessed, accused detainees must be tried under well-tested and fair laws recognized by the world. Our American sensibility for justice and fairness must be demonstrated openly to our allies and our enemies. We must stand tall in rebuking those who accuse us of witch hunts. The American justice system works without resorting to newly-minted courts whose shaky underlying justification is scorned by most of the world as self-serving.

    We are proud of our country and our justice system: we know you are too. Now please let us prove it to all.

    Many of us met with you face-to-face on June 16, 2009 and you told us at that time of your personal commitment to bringing these trials to open, transparent courts. Please do not back off from what you know to be right.

    September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows

  3. For Immediate Release
    http://peacefultomorrows.org/article.php?id=993

    Open Letter to A.G. Holder on 9/11 Trials
    November 11th, 2010

    Attorney General Holder:

    We, family members of those who died in the attacks of 9/11, entreat you to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his Guantanamo cohorts in federal courts that rely on the U.S. Constitution and the tenets of America's 200 year-old system of justice. The location is not of consequence, although New York, Virginia, or another venue in the East where most of the families reside, would be optimum.

    The overarching consideration is that these self-confessed, accused detainees must be tried under well-tested and fair laws recognized by the world. Our American sensibility for justice and fairness must be demonstrated openly to our allies and our enemies. We must stand tall in rebuking those who accuse us of witch hunts. The American justice system works without resorting to newly-minted courts whose shaky underlying justification is scorned by most of the world as self-serving.

    We are proud of our country and our justice system: we know you are too. Now please let us prove it to all.

    Many of us met with you face-to-face on June 16, 2009 and you told us at that time of your personal commitment to bringing these trials to open, transparent courts. Please do not back off from what you know to be right.

    September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows

  4. Zeke:

    Unlike other cases you mentioned, all the publicly known evidence against KSM, showing him to be indisputably the mastermind of 9-11 and the murder of almost 3000 souls, comes from sources completely inadmissible in federal court, such as illegal wiretaps carried out in foreign countries by shadowy intelligence agencies, and waterboarding/torture.

    So even though KSM fully confesses his guilt for 9-11 and is proud of his guilt and we all know he is guilty and so do you Zeke, as much as you know the sun will rise in the east tomorrow, the second he walks into a federal court you know darn well the all charges against him will be dropped due to total lack of legally admissible evidence and he will be free on the spot, without even a trial.

    Yes, free as a bird, free to return to a hero’s welcome in Pakistan, free no doubt to immediately set about planning 9-11 Part Two, financed of course by the millions in compensation his lawyers will get him from the US government for being supposedly mistreated, plus the fat book and movie deals etc.

    Evidently your definition of the word “Justice” is not the same as my definition of the word “Justice”.

  5. For Immediate Release

    http://peacefultomorrows.org/article.php?id=993

    Open Letter to A.G. Holder on 9/11 Trials
    November 11th, 2010

    Attorney General Holder:

    We, family members of those who died in the attacks of 9/11, entreat you to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his Guantanamo cohorts in federal courts that rely on the U.S. Constitution and the tenets of America’s 200 year-old system of justice. The location is not of consequence, although New York, Virginia, or another venue in the East where most of the families reside, would be optimum.

    The overarching consideration is that these self-confessed, accused detainees must be tried under well-tested and fair laws recognized by the world. Our American sensibility for justice and fairness must be demonstrated openly to our allies and our enemies. We must stand tall in rebuking those who accuse us of witch hunts. The American justice system works without resorting to newly-minted courts whose shaky underlying justification is scorned by most of the world as self-serving.

    We are proud of our country and our justice system: we know you are too. Now please let us prove it to all.

    Many of us met with you face-to-face on June 16, 2009 and you told us at that time of your personal commitment to bringing these trials to open, transparent courts. Please do not back off from what you know to be right.

    September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows

  6. KSM is not some dude accused of armed robbery and shooting a liquor store cashier. He and his cohorts committed an unlawful attack – virtually an act of war against the United States. UNLAWFUL ENEMY COMBATANT

    Every right afforded to KSM is no less – INFACT MORE – then previous lawful Military Commissions in the past.

    The man you advocate for is guilty beyond any doubt – sensible minds will prevail and this man will not get his center stage soapbox to spew his radical Islamic hate for western civilization. He will not get his center stage soapbox to recruit and spread propaganda. He will not get his center stage soapbox a stones throw from WTC.

    Justice is served by a legal and internationally recognized Military Commission – Guantanamo Bay open for business.

  7. KSM is not some dude accused of armed robbery and shooting a liquor store cashier. He and his cohorts committed an unlawful attack – virtually an act of war against the United States. UNLAWFUL ENEMY COMBATANT

    Every right afforded to KSM is no less – INFACT MORE – then previous lawful Military Commissions in the past.

    The man you advocate for is guilty beyond any doubt – sensible minds will prevail and this man will not get his center stage soapbox to spew his radical Islamic hate for western civilization. He will not get his center stage soapbox to recruit and spread propaganda. He will not get his center stage soapbox a stones throw from WTC.

    Justice is served by a legal and internationally recognized Military Commission – Guantanamo Bay open for business.

  8. Just been reading the Jewish writer Aby Mann's famous play, "Judgment at Nuremberg".

    The play ISN'T about the trials of Goering & the top leaders.

    It's about the SUBSEQUENT Nuremberg trial … of German JUDGES of the Nazi era.

    It shows how Hitler began changing Germany …..

    by removing the normal, civil courts, replacing them with MILITARY COURTS.

    That's part of the process of how Germany became the 3rd Reich.

    Mann tells how a German survivor characterized that time.

    He said, The changes introduced by Hitler were justified as being in place to fight "special" "crises" ……. the dangerous social "minorities" ….. the Commies, the Jews, the Gypsies, the gays …

    But then,once in place, these special "crises" stayed on & became permanent …..

    & could then be used against "everybody else".

    As for KSM, contrary to the ridiculous scenario painted by Mr Judo regarding a fair & transparent trial for him ( KSM walking free "in a second", hero's welcome, movie rights … ), he CAN INDEED be tried in open & transparent court.

    On the basis of his own free & uncoerced testimony.

    Through voluminous legally available evidence.

    By any American jury.

    Why then does Mr Judo insist on the "other course" for KSM ?

    Apparently to set a historic precedent for all "terrorist" cases.

    Which in turn will lever the judicial process itself into the continuation of war by other means.

    The use of Hitler's instrument of the military court in the KSM case will result in a total unsheathing of this swift & terrible sword for use in all "special crises" ( the terrorists, the Muslims, the Arabs ……..& all other undesirable "aliens" ).

    This sword can be invoked for rapid use against other "social minorities" in other "special crises" by the incarceration industry … by the police …. by the plethora of federal "security" & intelligence agencies infesting the US body politic.

    The MILITARIZATION of the KSM case will ultimately be a giant step forward towards the Hitlerization of the US judicial process that's already in evidence in the overcrowded US prisons & in the racial & class composition of the US "Just Us" system.

  9. Just been reading the Jewish writer Aby Mann’s famous play, “Judgment at Nuremberg”.

    The play ISN’T about the trials of Goering & the top leaders.

    It’s about the SUBSEQUENT Nuremberg trial … of German JUDGES of the Nazi era.

    It shows how Hitler began changing Germany …..

    by removing the normal, civil courts, replacing them with MILITARY COURTS.

    That’s part of the process of how Germany became the 3rd Reich.

    Mann tells how a German survivor characterized that time.

    He said, The changes introduced by Hitler were justified as being in place to fight “special” “crises” ……. the dangerous social “minorities” ….. the Commies, the Jews, the Gypsies, the gays …

    But then,once in place, these special “crises” stayed on & became permanent …..

    & could then be used against “everybody else”.

    As for KSM, contrary to the ridiculous scenario painted by Mr Judo regarding a fair & transparent trial for him ( KSM walking free “in a second”, hero’s welcome, movie rights … ), he CAN INDEED be tried in open & transparent court.

    On the basis of his own free & uncoerced testimony.

    Through voluminous legally available evidence.

    By any American jury.

    Why then does Mr Judo insist on the “other course” for KSM ?

    Apparently to set a historic precedent for all “terrorist” cases.

    Which in turn will lever the judicial process itself into the continuation of war by other means.

    The use of Hitler’s instrument of the military court in the KSM case will result in a total unsheathing of this swift & terrible sword for use in all “special crises” ( the terrorists, the Muslims, the Arabs ……..& all other undesirable “aliens” ).

    This sword can be invoked for rapid use against other “social minorities” in other “special crises” by the incarceration industry … by the police …. by the plethora of federal “security” & intelligence agencies infesting the US body politic.

    The MILITARIZATION of the KSM case will ultimately be a giant step forward towards the Hitlerization of the US judicial process that’s already in evidence in the overcrowded US prisons & in the racial & class composition of the US “Just Us” system.

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