By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com WASHINGTON — Because Congress has blocked Gitmo detainees from being prosecuted in civilian court, Atty. Gen. Eric Holder Jr. said Monday that 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others will stand trial in a military court in Gitmo. The announcement marked a sharp reversal of his announcement in November 2009…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com WASHINGTON – After almost 10 years, it seems like nothing more than a lot of “what ifs” and fantasy on the part of the U.S. government when it talks about what to do with Osama bin Laden if he’s ever captured. Still, CIA Director Leon Panetta testified Wednesday before a Senate…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com The chances of the suspected 9/11 conspirators facing a trial in a civilian court seems to be getting slimmer. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Sunday he probably has the votes in the Senate to block a civilian trial for alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and others, the Associated Press…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Big Apple. Big trial. Big headache. The latest big headache in the federal trial in New York of a Gitmo detainee surfaced Monday when a juror on the third day of deliberations, asked the judge to remove her, saying she felt threatened by fellow jurors because she was at odds with…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Saying they didn’t wish to delay the trial, federal prosecutors on Sunday said they won’t appeal a judge’s ruling that bans a key witness from testifying in the first criminal trial of Guantanamo Bay terrorism suspect, Reuters news service reported. “The government . . . has decided not to pursue an…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com WASHINGTON — It hasn’t been all glamour for Eric Holder Jr. as Attorney General. For one, there’s the less than friendly receptions on Capitol Hill from Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee who seem to enjoy grilling him like a burger at a 4th of July gathering. Then there’s the second…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. told Face The Nation Sunday that the U.S. might be able to execute terrorists like 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed if they pleaded guilty at military tribunal. “There’s a real question about that,” Holder said. Holder said there’s no question Mohammed could be put…
Khalid Sheik Mohammad Some may not agree with this, but frankly it seems like the right thing to do. Americans generally want to have confidence that justice is being carried out fairly and it seems that a trial in the federal court will be more transparent. By Peter Finn and Carrie A. Johnson Washington Post…
