What Happens If a 9/11 Terrorist Defendant is Found Not Guilty?

The decision to try KSM as a civilian criminal makes no sense, unless (1) Obama’s real intention is to put the Bush administration on trial via the proxy of KSM, and (2) to provide a huge distraction from the deteriorating economy and the huge, transformative bills that the administration is trying to pass. With regard to #2, it’s already working: health-care “reform” is off the radar now.
The KSM decision clearly is a bad one, but in a sense, its awfulness is a feature, not a bug: it provides a smoke-screen for the administration to achieve its real economic and social goals.

I say no trial can go forth until this issue is clarified. What happens if he is found not guilty or if the case is thrown out under any number of possible scenarios? Exactly where will he be released to?

This is a political decision straight up. This will go down as the worst decision ever made by an American president. I can envision KSM walking out of the court room onto the streets of N.Y. with a voucher for reparations courtesy of the American taxpayer. The America hating administration will have won the day.

What Happens If a 9/11 Terrorist Defendant is Found Not Guilty?
The rapid deconstruction of the American economic, social and court systems by this administration will continue as planned.

Fifty-two percent (52%) of voters remain opposed to the plan proposed by the president and congressional Democrats, while 45% are in favor of it . Still, a majority continues to believe the health care plan will be passed into law before the end of the year .

Never mind how confident the prosecution was in the O.J. Simpson case (the FIRST case, that is).
Think about what happened when the L.A. cops were acquitted in the Rodney King case.
That would be absolutely nothing compared to what would happen if KSM or one of his cohorts were acquitted.
Think about it, 0bama.

Obama is acting like he’s running a University like Berkely more than acting like the President of the United States of America. His actions have consequences for our country and the actions he is taking in so many areas are incompetent and risky.
Why doesn’t he just pull our troops out of Afghanistan rather than have them killed by not giving them the support they need? Why bring jihadist warriors onto US soil and try them like they are common criminals? I don’t understand why he is doing all this to hurt our country.

“If he’s acquitted he can and will be detained indefinitely as a dangerous terrorist.”
Fascist Hyena, I agree with you most of the time. However, I disagree on this point. The government can’t have their cake and eat it too. You can detain them indefinitely without a trial. However, once you try them you have to live with the consequences. If they are acquitted they must be freed–and free to plan other attacks!
Brown Line hit it on the nail. The only logical purpose for trying these terrorists as common criminals is to try former President Bush and former Vice President Cheney–in hopes that the World Court will followup by trying them as war criminals. You know that the defense lawyers will attempt to have both Bush and Cheney appear in the trials. It will be interesting to see if the Justice Department fights very hard to exclude them as witnesses (proxy defendants) in the case.

“However, once you try them you have to live with the consequences. If they are acquitted they must be freed–and free to plan other attacks!”
I don’t think that’s true, but I am not sure. The basis for indefinite detention is dangerousness, which doesn’t require proof of a crime. But once they’re on US soil–not only the KSM five, but any others who are brought here–no one can predict what a random federal judge will do.
Think for a minute about what Holder appears to have adopted as a policy: Suppose there are two groups of murderous conspirators living abroad. Group A decides to attack an overseas military installation (e.g., USS Cole). Group B says the heck with the military, let’s concentrate on American civilians on American soil.
Obama/Holder justice tells Group B that it is entitled to a whole panoply of rights that Group A doesn’t get.
Where would you plan your next attack?

Statement of Sen. Jim Webb:
I have never disputed the constitutional authority of the President to convene Article III courts in cases of international terrorism. However, I remain very concerned about the wisdom of doing so. Those who have committed acts of international terrorism are enemy combatants, just as certainly as the Japanese pilots who killed thousands of Americans at Pearl Harbor. It will be disruptive, costly, and potentially counterproductive to try them as criminals in our civilian courts.
The precedent set by this decision deserves careful scrutiny as we consider proper venues for trying those now held at Guantanamo who were apprehended outside of this country for acts that occurred outside of the country. And we must be especially careful with any decisions to bring onto American soil any of those prisoners who remain a threat to our country but whose cases have been adjudged as inappropriate for trial at all. They do not belong in our country, they do not belong in our courts, and they do not belong in our prisons.
I have consistently argued that military commissions, with the additional procedural rules added by Congress and enacted by President Obama, are the most appropriate venue for trying individuals adjudged to be enemy combatants.

Obama has already suggested that he might not release KSM, period.
Then what is the point of a trial?
If Obama has no intention of releasing KSM should he be acquitted, that alone should enough to prove that KSM cannot get a fair trial.
Then again, KSN can always hope for a pardon form Holder, and then a path to citizenship.

Think for a minute about what Holder appears to have adopted as a policy: Suppose there are two groups of murderous conspirators living abroad. Group A decides to attack an overseas military installation (e.g., USS Cole). Group B says the heck with the military, let’s concentrate on American civilians on American soil.
Obama/Holder justice tells Group B that it is entitled to a whole panoply of rights that Group A doesn’t get.
Where would you plan your next attack?
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | Nov 15, 2009 11:32:29 AM
Exactly, Fascist Hyena! Maybe you can help me with a question I have (sorry if I sound stupid with this). But, now that we have seen how easy it is for a Muslim extremist to get into the military and carry out an “attack” at one of our own facilities, how do you differentiate one kind of attack from another. The 9-11 attacks, I think, were an act of terrorism and an act of war BUT they weren’t necessarily in the “military”. So now, Holder is telling us that the mastermind is going to be tried in civilian court, but the others in military tribunals. How does that work?
And another thing that bothers me. Obviously, the Muslim terrorists are targeting us because of their faith. Anyone who doesn’t think this is a battle of two faiths is not thinking clearly. I’m not going to go into all the background (biblically) as to the differences in Islam and Christianity (I will if someone wants it), but let’s just suffice it to say the differences are INCREDIBLE. Anyway, now that Obama has made MANY points regarding his background having the Muslim faith included in it, and stating that we are “not at war with Islam”, wouldn’t it make it hard for him to make a clear decision based on separation of church and state in these cases? And how will anyone know what’s “allowable” for them to do about reporting possible terrorist connections if they could be, in turn, chastised for being intolerant? I guess my confusion comes from the fact that if they are Muslims, and their hatred for Jews and Christians dictates their very being, but Obama says that we “aren’t a Christian nation”, then why are they so intent on destroying us? Is it military reasons? Religious reasons? Pure hatred? Could these bastards be charged with “hate crimes” as we can be in this country with newly passed laws in civilian courts?
Help me out here, Hyena. You seem like you are very good at this stuff! Thanks a bunch!!

re: ‘what if’
what if, an asteroid hits the earth
get a life

I think the administration fears a backlash from American homegrown terrorists more than they do the American people themselves, whom the administration is supposed to represent.
Putting the trial in NY a circus? The decision to put it there has already made it a circus.

It’ll be interesting to see the case brought forward by the Government considering there is no real evidence….

History repeats itself yet again, this time the genocidal political ideology comes from the followers of the American ‘right’….
Posted by: YO | Nov 15, 2009 2:34:03 PM
**********
LOL! Yes history repeats itself, for sure. Carter = Obama. Failed presidencies.

I find this decision by Holder so terribly disappointing. He is putting ideology ahead of what is best for this country and it’s citizens. I’m losing what little hope I had left.

oops i’m sorry i don’t know how that got on the wrong thread:( Supposed to be on the global warming story.

The USA has become an international joke, doing things like grown-ups may regain us some credibility.
Aren’t we concerned about whether we’ve really got the right guy or just some poor hammerhead who was tortured into confessing ?
Is KSM really the ‘mastermind’ or just somebody’s stooge ?
A ‘proper’ trial will provide an opportunity for the World to learn exactly what did happen on 9-11.
All we really know is that Bush/Cheney lied about it, but how much ?
In the absence of real truth all manner of conjecture has taken place, wouldn’t it be good to see all that settled decisively ?
What are we afraid of ?

I was raised on Dr. Dobson, and have just sent him a letter requesting his assistance to help me stop loosing faith in the Christian Church. My Mom respects Dr. Dobson as much or more than any other Christian leader, and she is interested to see his response. I only started learning the truth about the 9/11 attacks last fall. It took me an entire year to convince my own parents to listen to me, and begin reviewing the evidence for themselves. Now that they have thoroughly and objectively taken a fresh look into all the available evidence, they too are now aware of how badly we have been deceived. They now fully support my mission to find out what really happened to 2,993 of our fellow countrymen that fateful September morning. My mom is very interested to see if/how Dr. Dobson will respond. Please read my open letter to Dr. Dobson and share your thoughts at………
Does Christ’s Church really stand for TRUTH & JUSTICE? That is the question!
Daniel Edd Bland III

Placing one’s faith in the “Christian Church” or any one human being is asking for a let down. Posted by: James Danley
true enough, but ‘the church’ seems to be involving itself more and more in military proselytizing and political matters, time to revoke their ‘tax exempt’ status, and make them pay up like any other ordinary lobbying group

LOL! Yes history repeats itself, for sure. Carter = Obama. Failed presidencies.
Posted by: Jenny
Oh you silly rabbit, just ignore those 8 years of Bush/Cheney, 2 unfinished wars, crashed economy, crime, and so much more.
if you check the dictionary next to the word ‘denial’ you find the American ‘rightwing’

I find this decision by Holder so terribly disappointing. He is putting ideology ahead of what is best for this country and it’s citizens. I’m losing what little hope I had left.
_______________________________________
Hope and change is working out well isn’t it? Foolhardy decision.

Obama is Carter’s Mini-Me. And let me remind you Carter was evicted in 80!

Look!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was a stupid decision! and it’s gonna bite every single Democrat in the U.S. government in the ASS! New Jersey and Virginia were just the beginning! Don’t say you weren’t warned!

This decision will come back to bite Nancy Pelosi in the rear end. Wonder why she knew about the interrogation techniques and didn’t try to stop them? Now she’s against them and wants Bush’s head on a platter?

Does anyone know where we are now sending Afgani and Iraqi soldiers we capture now? I have looked everywhere and can’t find it.

I haven’t got time for your nonsense @Octavia. I stand by my statement. If you don’t like it that’s too bad!

Who is this administration trying to please?

“If he will be freed, that prompts questions of national security and whether civilian courts are as appropriate as other venues for such trials.”
Trust the media to highlight the least important question that a not-guilty verdict would raise.
Unless of course, by “raise questions of national security” you mean just what kind of idiocy has the US government been feeding us about the supposed fight against “terror”, and why we have let our government get away with this garbage for so long…
But I suppose the petty little minds “reporting” to us are too filled with cocktail party gossip to let that thought ever enter their heads.

I want to know when the government plans to bring to trial the 5 men arrested after being seen across the river dancing and filming the carnage in NY on 9/11?
These men were later interviewed on television and stated they were there to “document the event.”
If you don’t know about these suspicious men, any search engine will quickly clue you in.

I watched “How It Is Made” on the discovery channel tonight. The interesting segment was one dealing with the manufacture of Channel Lock (r) pliers.
To temper the a Channel Lock diagonal cutter requires cooking them in a forced air gas flamed furnace at 1800 degrees for four hours. The flames were blue hot and contained (none of their fuel flashed off when the oven was closed).
When the pliers were pulled out of the 1800 degree furnace, surprisingly – none of them melted due to structural failure! And none of those items were of the same caliber steel as the girders entombed in a concrete core as those revealed by WTC architectural plans.
And then I started wondering if NYC had to replace all those steel boilers that steam heat all those NYC office buildings because it was found that, at least NYC steel fabrications, melted in kerosene fires.
And then I wondered – what if – despite the fact that triple indemnity lucky Silverstein had already confess a regrettable pull, that had the sprinkler system in WTC 7 been operable, would the NIST, instead, have blamed it’s free fall collapse, as reported by the BBC 24 minutes before it fell, on “thermal contraction”?
9-11 was pure magic – science, physics, thermal dynamics, all took a holiday that day!