SmallGovTimes.com

By: SGT News | Published on 02/11/08    

Officials for the United States military said today that they will be seeking the death penalty for six detainees currently held up at Guantanamo Bay for their involvement in the planning and execution of the September 11th attacks, including accused mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

"These charges allege a longterm, highly sophisticated, organized plan by al Qaida to attack the United States of America," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas Hartmann, a legal adviser for the military. Hartmann said that 169 charges were brought up against these men for their responsibility in the attacks.

A judge will determine what evidence is to be allowed following allegations that Mohammed was subject to a potentially-torturous interrogation technique known as water boarding.

The charges among the men include conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, aircraft hijacking and destruction of property in violation of the law of war and terrorism.

The six detainees will be tried in a military tribunal that the Bush administration established after the original attacks. The tribunals have been widely criticized for their secretive nature, including closed-door hearings and even the exclusion of the defendant in the proceedings during their own trial. Hartmann said the hearings will be fair and all defendants are innocent until proven guilty.

According to procedure, in capital punishment cases within military tribunals, a panel of 12 will need to all find the defendants guilty of the crimes they are charged with.

Original URL:
http://www.smallgovtimes.com/story/08feb11.death.penalty/index.html