9-11 Terror Suspects to Face Trial in Military Tribunals, Not Civilian Courts

We knew from the very start that this would be a fight.  And, now, this battle has turned into a victory, despite a defiant U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

The U.S. Justice Department - in a reversal - now says it will try 9-11 terror suspects - including alleged 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed - in military commissions, and not civilian courts.

In a decision reversing current policy, the Attorney General today blamed Congress for forcing him to use military tribunals to try the terror suspects and said he is reluctantly agreeing to using military commissions in order to move the judicial process along.

What's unimaginable is the fact that the Attorney General still believes the federal court system is the proper venue to try accused terrorists and is blaming Congress for getting involved.

The fact that the 9-11 accused terrorists will now face military tribunals is long overdue and despite the Attorney General's flawed logic, it is the proper venue to try these accused terrorists.  It's clear that many members of Congress and most Americans understand the truth - President Obama's judicial strategy to place these terror suspects in civilian courts is seriously flawed.  We have heard from more than 100,000 Americans who called for these trials to take place in military tribunals - clearly the proper venue for justice.

Thanks to the more than 100,000 people who signed on to our Petition to Keep Terrorists Out of Civilian Courts.  That petition went to the President and members of Conrgess.  Your voice has been heard!

It is clear that since this issue has been debated during the past couple of years the American people have understood that President Obama's judicial strategy to place these terror suspects in civilian courts was seriously flawed. 

Military commissions - or tribunals, as they are called - represents the proper venue for justice when it comes to trying the accused terrorists from 9-11.

As we have argued all along, putting terror suspects on trial in civilian courts would limit and even exclude important evidence place our intelligence gathering techniques at risk and even give terror suspects a platform to spew hate and incite more violence.

Such a move would put our national security at risk - giving accused terrorists the same rights as those afforded to U.S. citizens.

Again, thanks to the more than 100,000 Americans who stood with us - urging the President and Congress to do the right thing - put terror suspects on trial in military tribunals, not civilian courts.