Free Republic

Louis Pepe is advocating that New York City is no place to try the mastermind of September 11, 2001. Louis Pepe understands that terrorists do not belong in civilian courts, but should be tried in safe, protected, escape-proof military venues. Louis Pepe knows whereof he speaks, and he is speaking out... Mr. Pepe nearly paid with his life for mistakes that were made before we understood just how dangerous these men are. We now know, and have known for nearly ten years, that they are lethal. Let's treat them accordingly, and allow the professionals in our military to keep them...

IN A LITTLE-NOTICED DECISION in a New York courtroom on September 25, 2003, a man described as Osama bin Laden's "best friend" got some good news. U.S. District Court Judge Deborah Batts ruled that Mahmdouh Mahmud Salim could not be sentenced to life in prison. Salim--who was present at the founding of al Qaeda in 1989 and who was for years one of bin Laden's most trusted confidants--had been captured in Germany in 1998 and extradited to the United States for prosecution related to his role in the grand conspiracy that resulted in the 1998 bombings at U.S. embassies in...

<p>May 4, 2004 -- A prison guard who suffered brain damage when he was stabbed in the eye by an alleged al Qaeda terrorist screamed, "I am dead" yesterday as he was tossed out of court by a judge who sentenced his attacker to 32 years in prison. After Judge Deborah Batts ordered marshals to escort wheelchair-bound Louis Pepe from the courtroom, dozens of his fellow federal correction officers angrily marched out in protest.</p>