Breaking local news from Staten Island, NY
Donovan wants city ruled out for 9/11 terrorist trial
Source: http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/donovan_wants_city_ruled_out_f.html
By Doug Auer
April 24, 2010, 7:30AM
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Take this terrorist trial and move it.
Instead, Donovan -- whom many see as a Republican candidate for state attorney general -- advocates a military tribunal.
"The planners of the Pearl Harbor attacks were not brought to Honolulu for civilian trials, but rather Japanese defendants in the post-World War II War Crimes trials were prosecuted before military tribunals, charged with waging aggressive war against the peace. In Europe, Nazi leaders were prosecuted for unprovoked attacks on their neighbors," Donovan pointed out in a press release chock full of strong language, and issued to coincide with President Obama's speech Thursday on financial-sector abuses at Cooper Union.
"Does masterminding the hijacking of civilian planes, causing the death of 2,976 Americans and spawning wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, not constitute an act of aggressive war?"
Donovan expressed disappointment earlier this month when U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee that "New York is not off the table" as the site of trials for Sheikh Mohammed and four others.
The government is considering using federal court in Lower Manhattan, with security costs estimated at $200 million per year.
"A trial before a military commission, in accordance with the standards set in the Military Commissions Act, will protect the rights of the accused to a fair trial, but will also ensure the integrity of our system of justice and protect the security interests of the American people," said Donovan.
The idea of Manhattan serving as venue is facing massive opposition from New York elected officials, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Rep. Michael McMahon (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn), as well as Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
"The current proposal by the Justice Department will not result in justice, but will offer a venue in the world's largest media market for those who hate America and seek to make a mockery of our system, all while further crippling the economy of New York City," Donovan concluded.
1 comment:
The only acts of terrorism have been instigated by the US government not anyone else.
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