President Bush has decided to transfer 14 key terrorist leaders from secret CIA custody to the U.S. military-run prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to be prepared for eventual trials, a senior administration official said Wednesday.
The high-value suspected terrorists include Khalid Sheik Mohammed, believed to be the No. 3 al-Qaida leader before he was captured in Pakistan in 2003; Ramzi Binalshibh, an alleged would-be Sept. 11, 2001, hijacker; and Abu Zubaydah, who was believed to be a link between Osama bin Laden and many al-Qaida cells before he was also captured in Pakistan, in March 2002.
Bush was announcing the move in a speech from the White House, with families of those killed in the 2001 attacks in attendance.
The president will also announce a hard line Wednesday on trying terror suspects through military tribunals. His new proposal, to be sent to Congress, would withhold evidence from a defendant if necessary to protect classified information.
"One of the most important tasks is for Congress to recognize that we need the tools necessary to win this war on terror and we'll continue to discuss with Congress ways to make sure that this nation is capable of defending herself," Bush said after a Cabinet meeting.
Senate leaders were briefed on the legislative plan Tuesday night. It already has met resistance from lawmakers who say it would set a dangerous precedent.
Sen. John Warner, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham have drafted a rival proposal. It would guarantee certain legal rights to defendants, including access to all evidence used against them.
In both military and civilian courts, a defendant's right to see evidence is viewed as indispensable to mounting an adequate defense.
"I think it's important that we stand by 200 years of legal precedents concerning classified information because the defendant should have a right to know what evidence is being used," said McCain, R-Ariz.
Another potential point of conflict is whether coerced testimony should be admissible. Administration officials have said allowing coerced testimony in some cases may be necessary, but McCain said the committee bill would ban it entirely.
The White House asked television networks for live coverage of Bush's announcement later Wednesday.
I see what Bush is trying to do - he is trying to force the hand of the weak players on the so-called "torture" issue, but telling them "OK, I'll serve up the 3 people we have directly responsible for 9/11 - you want to give them right to trial? Go ahead, explain to the american people why they should get that.".
Its a gutsy move, but its not without risks as I posted above. These 3 guys are going to tell their ACLU lawyers about what the CIA did to them (waterboarding), and the MSM is going to only play that part of the story.
This is going to be the flash point for this whole issue now folks - here it is. Buckle up.
The high-value suspected terrorists include Khalid Sheik Mohammed, believed to be the No. 3 al-Qaida leader before he was captured in Pakistan in 2003; Ramzi Binalshibh, an alleged would-be Sept. 11, 2001, hijacker; and Abu Zubaydah