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– CONTROVERSIAL DECISION

 

The announcement of USA Attorney General Eric Holder, on Friday 11/13/2009, to transfer The 9/11 five conspirators, now detained at Guantanamo Bay, to face trial in New York, just few blocks away from Ground Zero, under USA civilian law rather then in a military tribunal in Guantanamo under martial law, is risky and highly controversial decision with a lot of un-foreseen outcomes to what seems to be a poetic justice (see – Holders NY Decision ).

It is almost certain that it is impossible to form an American jury of 12 New Yorkers not highly emotional about The 9/11 and without any prejudices. In such a case it is almost impossible to handle a fair trial. Whatever the outcome of the trial will be – its fairness will be always questioned. If, for any reason, one of the defendants will receive less then lifetime in prison it might provoke an immense outrage in America.  

 

We do not know the possible behavior of the five defendants in American court. Their behavior can be anywhere between boycotting the court, challenging its authority, repeatedly disturbing the sittings by shouting Islamic slogans and unruliness from time to time – up to quiet acceptance with the situation. Since they face the death penalty they have nothing to loose. Some of the defendants, such as Khalid Shaik Mohammed, even expressed, time and again, their wishes for death sentence so they will became martyrs (Shahids). If they will cooperate with the court the defendants will have a golden public opportunity to speak out laud and clear their philosophy about the Global Jihad and the USA.    

The repeated mentioning of the horrors of The 9/11 will, almost certainly, have an negative impact on the relation with the Islamic community of about 9 Millions in USA. The negative impact can increase all kinds of attacks against Muslims in USA, push the Muslim community to self-justification and push more Muslims to frustration and radicalization.

 

Not only the horrors of The 9/11 will be mentioned time and again in the trial but also the shadowy and controversial methods used by the USA to fight the Global Jihad such as Extraordinary Rendition, secret jails and waterboarding. It will be not only the terrorists who will sit on the bench but America too (see – On The Bench). The horrified, angry America of 8 years ago, who came under attack and went to war, will be now judged by the new America, who has enough of the wars, is frustrated with the economic recession and prefer to refer to The 9/11 just as a crime, although of unprecedented magnitude. 

If the mentioning of The 9/11 will revive the memories and feelings of that day the detailed description of interrogation techniques will revive the resentment toward America, impact its moral status in the world and play to the hands of America’s enemies of all kinds.

 

The decision is, therefore, a huge adventure (some say gamble) with a little prospect to good outcome and with a huge chance to embarrass America (See – Negative Impact ). 
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* Eventually, on the same day that President Obama enounced his candidacy to a second term as President in the 11/2012 elections, on Monday 04/04/2011, USA Attorney General Eric Holder reversed his decision and announced that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other 9/11 terror suspects will face a military trial at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba, as it was already set up in late Bush’s administration in 2008 (see – Gitmo 9/11 Trial). In announcing his decision, Holder blasted Congress for imposing restrictions on the Justice Department’s ability to bring the men to New York for civilian trials — a course of action Eric Holder promised in 2009.  

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* Related topics – 
01/2009 -GITMO – THE BEGINNING OF THE END   
06/2008 -U.S RULED GUANTANAMO DETAINEES CAN APEAL  
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