[Peace-discuss] Military tribunals are unconstitutional

[C. G. Estabrook]

    Family Members of 9/11 Victims Seek Meeting with Attorney General Holder to
    Reinforce Call for Civilian Trial for Terror Suspect Khalid Sheik Mohammed
    by September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows

New York, March 9, 2010 -- Today, September 11th Families for Peaceful 
Tomorrows, a national organization of more than 200 relatives of victims of the 
9/11 attacks, delivered a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder asking to meet 
with him to discuss their support for civilian trials for Guantanamo detainees 
including alleged 9/11 master mind Khalid Sheik Mohammed.  The families' group 
acted in the wake of reports that the Obama administration is considering trying 
Mohammed before a military tribunal.

In the letter, the group voiced its concern that the Administration was 
considering "...compromising with Senator Lindsay Graham regarding the civilian 
trial of Khalid Sheik Mohammed.  If there is validity to this report, we need 
you to know that we consider this to be a very troublesome bargain."  The letter 
goes on to say: "We believe the closure of Guantanamo Bay must not be solely 
symbolic in nature.  We must close it and hold all trials in open, civilian 
courts where justice is transparent.  We continue to support your initial 
conviction that holding these trials on American soil is the right thing to do."

The group is preparing to launch a public education campaign to bolster support 
for civilian trials for terrorism suspects which they believe is a critical step 
to reversing Bush administration policies that undermine due process and the 
rule of law.

"I lost my pregnant daughter on 9/11 and I know I will never get her back," said 
Donna O'Connor, a spokesperson for 9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.  "We 
will not stand by idly and lose our country as well.  The American system of 
justice has successfully prosecuted over 300 terrorism cases without 
compromising our principles.  9/11 families ask nothing less than that in the 
name of our loved ones."

	A copy of the letter is available at
  	<www.peacefultomorrows.org/article.php?id=969>.
	For more information, visit <www.peacefultomorrows.org>.
	<http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/letter090310.html>

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