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May 22, 2009
Obama to Try Terror Suspect in NYC, First Gitmo Detainee Brought to U.S.
Obama to Try Terror Suspect in NYC, First Gitmo Detainee Brought to U.S.
The Obama administration is pressing ahead with its plan to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center, deciding to put a "high value" detainee on trial in New York City despite resistance from some in Congress.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced early Thursday that Ahmed Ghailani will be sent to New York City for trial, which would make him the first Guantanamo detainee brought to the U.S. and the first to face trial in a civilian criminal court.
Ghailani was indicted by a federal grand jury in New York for the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa -- attacks that killed 224 people, including 12 Americans. It was not immediately clear when the transfer would occur.
"By prosecuting Ahmed Ghailani in federal court, we will ensure that he finally answers for his alleged role in the bombing of our embassies in Tanzania and Kenya," Holder said in a statement.
"This administration is committed to keeping the American people safe and upholding the rule of law, and by closing Guantanamo and bringing terrorists housed there to justice we will make our nation stronger and safer," the attorney general said.
Ghailani, a Tanzanian, was categorized as a high-value detainee by U.S. authorities after he was captured in Pakistan in 2004 and transferred to the detention center at the U.S. naval base in Cuba two years later.
The decision on the first U.S. trial of a Guantanamo detainee comes as President Barack Obama faces pressure from across the political spectrum on his plan to close the detention center by January 2010. Democrats have said they want to see the president's plan for closing the base before it approves money to finance it, and Republicans are fighting to keep Guantanamo open.
Some lawmakers have already voiced opposition to bringing Guantanamo detainees to the U.S. for trial, even in heavily guarded settings.
Obama is scheduled to give a major speech addressing Guantanamo and national security Thursday morning.
The Associated Press reported in March that Ghailani was among a handful of high-value suspects that prosecutors were considering bringing to trial in the United States on charges that predate the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Trying Ghailani for the embassy attacks may help prosecutors avoid legal challenges surrounding Ghailani's detention and treatment.
U.S. authorities say he helped plan and deliver the explosives in the embassy attack, and later rose up through the Al Qaeda ranks.
He has denied knowing the TNT and oxygen tanks would be used to make a bomb. He also denied buying a vehicle used in the attack, saying he could not drive.
Just before the embassy bombings, Ghailani flew to Pakistan.
Last year, military prosecutors charged that after the 1998 bombings, Ghailani worked for Al Qaeda as a document forger, trainer at a terror camp and bodyguard to Usama bin Laden.
The Ghailani decision revives a long-dormant case charging bin Laden and top Al Qaeda leadership with plotting the Aug. 7, 1998 bombings at U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The blasts killed more than 200 people and injured thousands, including many who were blinded by shards of flying glass. The attacks prompted then-President Bill Clinton to launch cruise missile attacks two weeks later on bin Laden's Afghan camps.
Four other men have been tried and convicted in the New York courthouse for their roles in the embassy attacks. All were sentenced to life in prison.
Wild Thing's comment........
Obama cares more about the “rights” of terrorists than the safety of Americans. You have to hate your country to do something like this. I don’t trust Obama or the courts to keep these terrorists off our streets.
Also when he is moved from military custody into federal court jurisdiction the rules change. And he’ll get the best legal talent for free because of the news media coverage which could turn him into a folk hero. The costs of logistics, security and disruption of normal business will be in the tens of millions of dollars.
Nightmare waiting to happen that It will take one Muslim or America-hating leftist juror to hang the jury. And then he would walk!
Just one more thing, it is so obvious that Obama and his administration will do whatever they want to. We see that now more then ever. They have no intention of listening even to those in their own political party. Arrogance to this extreme is treacherous and of the most dangerous kind to someone that has been put in charge as president.
OBAMA IS THE NUMBER ONE MOST DANGEROUS PERSON IN AMERICA!
Posted by Wild Thing at May 22, 2009 05:55 AM
Comments
What happens if there is an aquittal ? What then do they do with this Terrorists. An aquittal in NYC is a good possiblilty considering the Defense can pre-empt so many juror's to get a jury favorable to his 'client'( the new name for terrorists.)
After the aquittal does obama apologise to the terrorist and pay him compensation for his lost wages.
This whole idea of bringing these terrorists to the United States is insane. Talk about inviting attack. This is the High School debate team running the country. Obama should resign and put some grown ups in charge.
Posted by: Mark at May 22, 2009 07:43 AM
This is pure folly.
I agree Mark, Obama will apologize like he has run around the world doing on every trip abroad. He apologizes for everything American.
Bob A.
Posted by: Bob A at May 22, 2009 09:44 AM
Ghailani is going to have his own TV show in less than a month.
Posted by: Rick at May 22, 2009 11:18 AM
Someone needs to make a citizens arrest of Barry Hussein, have him tried for treason, find him guilty of crimes against humanity (us) and tortured until he longer breathes our air.
Posted by: cuchieddie (DHS suspected terrorist)) at May 22, 2009 01:07 PM
Never mind considering a possible acquittal. The US has a little thing called bail in criminal proceedings. Do you think that the ACLU will pass up the opportunity to goad the thousands of New Yorkers who lost loved ones in the New York attacks? They will arrange bail while the detainees await trial. Some Saudi prince or corrupt UN official will put up the money. Quite likely with US taxpayer funds, they're good at that.
In NYC, the terrorists will also be next to their support structures at the UN. They will be able to parade around the NYC mosques like folk heroes making recruitment videos for use back in the Mideast and worldwide on the Internet. Even if no New Yorker attacks them while they are on the streets (and that is a big 'if' since the detainees are obnoxious even by the standards of Middle Eastern countries) they will still be the lefts cultural standard. NBC’s “Law and Order” will be prosecuting a guilty fictional New Yorker for attacking a fictional detainee who will be shown to be innocent beyond a rational doubt in the irrational way of GE's NBC unit.
I have to say that Wild Thing for once has missed the mark:
"OBAMA IS THE NUMBER ONE MOST DANGEROUS PERSON IN AMERICA!"
This under states the case! Obama is the number one most dangerous person in all world history since the founding of the United States!
The worst thing is that the old saying may apply:
"All of the butchers in history have not killed one thousandth of the people that the idiots have killed. " (I do not know who to attribute this to but it is not original.)
Obama may not be doing this deliberately. I know Brown and Yale graduates that frequently look like they have been hit by a two by four when one of their many blind spots is revealed to them.
The Ivey league schools are simply amazingly provincial cultures. It does not help Obama that his mother's family is so alienated from America. He really is a man who has as little grounding in American Law and principles as someone who never set foot in America before College.
Posted by: Avitar at May 22, 2009 04:46 PM
Mark, that very well could happen. Too many
Judges and jury's are far to the left and
will use this as a chance to make a statement
about the war.
Yes and then Obama would apologize just
like you said.
Also the fact that Obama did what he wanted
to do despite the resistance he got shows too
what a jerk he is to those even in his own
party.
Posted by: Wild Thing at May 22, 2009 07:00 PM
Bob A., and he prpobably has no worries
about the danger of any of this.
Posted by: Wild Thing at May 22, 2009 07:05 PM
Rick, yesss and he can promote it on
Oprah (Obama's buddy).
Posted by: Wild Thing at May 22, 2009 07:09 PM
cuchieddie (DHS suspected terrorist)), this
by Abe Lincoln.
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled, or hanged."— President Abraham Lincoln
Posted by: Wild Thing at May 22, 2009 07:26 PM
Avitar, thanks for the correction and
I agree.
"I have to say that Wild Thing for once has missed the mark:
"OBAMA IS THE NUMBER ONE MOST DANGEROUS PERSON IN AMERICA!"
This under states the case! Obama is the number one most dangerous person in all world history since the founding of the United States!"
Avitar, the other one the old saying, yes it may very apply to this.
Posted by: Wild Thing at May 22, 2009 07:33 PM
I wasn't going to comment, Obama is a disgrace to the real men. Who remembers Col "Bull" Simons or
Maj Richard D. Meadows or why?
Posted by: Jack at May 22, 2009 11:57 PM
