Peaceful Tomorrows’ Members Seek to Understand an Increasingly Confusing Future in the 9/11 Case at GTMO
Members of PT’s Rule of Law Committee have requested meetings with both the prosecution and the defense to understand new developments in the case against the men charged with planning and supporting the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In July, proceedings against the 9/11 accused appeared to be approaching JUDICIAL FINALITY with news that Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and two of his co-defendants had signed pre-trial agreements (PTAs), pleading guilty in exchange for life sentences rather than the death penalty.
Then, Secretary of Defense Austin revoked the agreements encountering significant criticism. Two PT members traveled to the Guantanamo Naval Base in September, where the 9/11 hearings resumed focus on the long-standing issue of the impact of torture on the defendants’ “confessions” to FBI “clean teams.” Meanwhile, the judge called for briefs on the questionable legality of Sec. Austin's revocation of 3 pretrial agreements. Then recent news suggested that the death penalty may be off the table no matter what the status of the PTAs is, because prosecutors may be unable to reinstate a capital case.
"Court itself happens on this old abandoned airstrip that's sort of pushed off to the side of the base, where everything goes on in these offices that they've built in what I can only describe as the most highly securitized temporary trailers you've ever seen. As an NGO observer, they put you in a tent to stay for the week. They're big tents, not pitched on the ground. But it's very obvious, when they were creating this complex that they didn't expect it to still be going on years and years later. I think they probably would have built more permanent structures. But it's a testament to just the lack of foresight that was going on."
Aidan Salamone
LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE WEBINAR:
On September 12th, two members who were children on 9/11 offered their perspectives on the ongoing pretrials at Guantánamo and the many challenges of military commissions. More Guantánamo related webinars are currently being planned.
You can watch the recording using the link and passcode below.
Passcode: b.F01cdU
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For over 20 years, September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows has been working to make our world safer and more just: promoting nonviolence, creating dialogues and reaching out to others whose lives were touched by terrorism. Through our activism we have affected many lives and had an impact on policy.We find ourselves needing funds to bridge the gap after losing our underlying grant. Individual donations are needed more than at any time in our history. You can help us maintain our core functions while we continue our activism.
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