Families of firefighters killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are seeking a meeting with President Barack Obama to discuss the trials of detainees being held at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.
Civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel says he hopes the new president will listen to the families, who are seeking open and fair, but speedy trials for the prisoners who are being held there. - Source - AM-New York
Meanwhile, families of the Sept. 11 victims - who recently arrived at Guantanamo Bay to observe military commission hearings - reacted with fury and frustration Wednesday to President Barack Obama's instruction to freeze the war court.
''Get this trial going,'' said retired New York City Deputy Fire Chief Jim Riches, who lost his firefighter son, Jimmy, in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001...
This week was the second time the Pentagon brought five family members chosen by lottery to observe the proceedings in a process open to parents, children, spouses or siblings of the 2,973 people killed on 9/11.
And, like those who visited before them, they cradled photos of their lost loved ones and urged the new president not to close the controversial prison camps...
''People should know that the safest place to hold these trials is at Guantanamo . . . not the homeland,'' Lorraine Arias Believeau tearfully told a knot of reporters. Her stockbroker brother, Adam, perished inside the World Trade Center.
The five 9/11 accused allegedly trained, advised and financed the 19 hijackers who commandeered the aircraft that crashed into the World Trade Center...
''They've already taken 3,000 lives,'' Arias said, urging the new president to continue with the congressionally approved commissions. "This was an act of war, not a traffic ticket. It should be in military court.''
For two days now, the five observers have sat in a special glass booth behind the 9/11 proceedings while Judge Stephen Henley, an Army colonel, questioned the lead defendant, Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his fellow accused on procedural matters in the case.
Monday, two of the accused boasted of their pride in assisting in the mass murder. Wednesday, Mohammed said he opposed Obama's request for a delay and offered ''to confess,'' language he has used in the past that has been interpreted to mean he wants to plead guilty.
The family members said they felt as though the men were taunting them. - Source - Centre Daily
Will Khalid Sheik Mohammed prevail and receive a speedy trial as requested? Not if Barack Obama has anything to say about it - and apparently, he does.
Sorry, Mr. Mohammed, you'll have to wait until the President receives clear assurances that you and your buddies will receive a fair and untainted trial.
Obama is doing this for your own good, Khalid! So keep your yap shut and stop being such an ingrate!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment