Obama Advisers Likely to Recommend Military Trial for 9/11 Mastermind
President Obama’s advisers are about to recommend a military trial for the man who has taken credit for masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks, a published report says.
Anonymous administration officials told the Washington Post that the advisers are close to completing a review of the case of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four others accused of plotting the attacks.
The recommendation in would reverse plans for a civilian trial in New York City by Attorney General Eric Holder. If Obama accepts the recommendation, he may be able to get Congress to agree to fund the closing of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, the story says.
Holder signaled he was open to a military trial in a Feb. 11 interview with the Post.
“At the end of the day, wherever this case is tried, in whatever forum, what we have to ensure is that it’s done as transparently as possible and with adherence to all the rules,” he said at the time. “If we do that, I’m not sure the location or even the forum is as important as what the world sees in that proceeding.”
