Watch Live As Holder Is Grilled In Senate 9-11 Trial Hearings

November 18th, 2009 (11) Posted By Pat Dollard.

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Washington (AP) – -Attorney General Eric Holder, declaring “I know that we are at war,” delivered a point-by-point rebuttal Wednesday to critics who say his decision to send professed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-conspirators to New York for trial in civilian court marks a return to “pre-9/11 mentality.”

The attorney general said he knew his decision would be controversial and considered it a “tough call.” He said the defendants could have been tried in either military or civilian court, since, “The 9/11 attacks were both an act of war and a violation of our federal criminal law.”

But he stood by his decision to bring the five defendants into federal court, saying he considered “every alternative” and determined that New York is the venue “most likely to obtain justice for the American people.”

“We need not cower in the face of this enemy. Our institutions are strong … and our people are ready,” Holder said.

Holder appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, testifying for the first time on the decision.

His testimony comes after days of criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike who warn that New York civilian court is not the appropriate venue.

Holder faced tough criticism Wednesday from Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., the ranking Republican on the committee, who said the Sept. 11 trial and several other administration decisions signal a return to a “pre-9/11 mentality.”

“I believe this decision is dangerous. I believe it’s misguided. I believe it is unnecessary,” Sessions said.

Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., defended Holder, voicing “great confidence” in the nation’s top law enforcement official.

“They committed murder here in the United States and we’ll seek justice here in the United States,” Leahy said of the defendants.

Meanwhile, President Obama said in one of a series of TV interviews during his trip to Asia that those offended by the legal privileges given to Mohammed by virtue of getting a civilian trial rather than a military tribunal won’t find it “offensive at all when he’s convicted and when the death penalty is applied to him.”

Obama quickly added that he did not mean to suggest he was prejudging the outcome of Mohammed’s trial. “I’m not going to be in that courtroom,” he said. “That’s the job of the prosecutors, the judge and the jury.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • PatriotofPast

    Instead of sending these Diaperheads to New York, and making that city a Target once again…
    Lets send these people to Washington DC and hold the Hearings there. Its only right that our elected Represenatives get a chance to rub elbows with these NEW Celebrities!
    :gun: Stupid Sons a Bitches :gun:

    • Tellicorick

      Damn right PatriotofPast! They deserve better accommodations and a more favorable environment which only Washington DC can give. After all, that’s where their “brother” is in charge and will see to it they get a “FAIR” trial. Hell, Ovomit can pack the jury with Ayers, Pelosi, Reid, Wright, Napolitano, Soros, and all the others haters of the US to ensure everything is fair. And with taxpayer funds, he can hire the best defense team this nation has ever seen which will ensure dismissal of all charges along with millions of dollars of damages for life where they can go home and finance terror with US tax dollars. Makes perfect sense for this nonsensical government!

    • SgtJenz

      Exactly so! :gun: :beer: :beer: :gun:
      Holder is a primary example of what you get when you educate an idiot…an over educated moron.

  • ToeTagger
  • Jett

    Set on NYC huh?

    Require HOLDER and all those who support the idea, to pay the $75M in extra security costs. Oh, and it must be paid for upfront otherwise trial reverts back to military court.

    Forget pre 9/11 mentality. We don’t have the $$ for a circus trial not to mention, the enormous risk it will pose for NYC and its residents.

    • Tellicorick

      Maybe that is why the Stimulus money hasn’t been totally expended yet – maybe Ovomit is going to spend Stimulus $ for the trial of the century.

  • Sully

    No military tribunals for actual terrorists….
    From the Affirmative Action shithead that wrote the legal cover for the Clinton violation of Posse Comitatus that put tanks in Waco.

  • jasjfarrell

    This is totally a political decision. These people have no morals. This is the guy that o.k.’d the pardons that Clinton sold.

  • prestonsbrooks

    :cool: Holder, what a joke. Another Black Supremacist. I bet he goes home at night and sticks pins in white people dolls. Maybe AQ will do us a favor a shove a stick of dynamite up his asshole if Soros ever pulls his dick out of it. :lol:

  • Cold Dead Hands

    Holder’s an idiot. He had no legal justifications for Lindsey Graham’s questions, thus proving that the move to try terrorists in U.S. courtrooms is solely political. And it’s backfiring in their face.

  • http://google Delta Actual

    Holder just sent a message to our enemies,commit a terrorist attack against the USA we will treat you like a celebrity and show you New York on our dime.This is the same BS Clinton did with the Tangos who attacked our Embassies,USS Cole ,the first World Trade Center attack ETC.Crime pays in the USA.Now the USA will have to pay a shitload of overtime to protect the Tangos,we may end up exposing National Security Intelligence methods and documents putting HUMINT sources in danger not to mention the security of our troops down range.And for what?What possible reason does Obama have in coddling these scumbags?Usama bin Laden must be screwing every camel in sight with celebration as he now knows he has an ally in the White House.Our troops are out there putting their lives at risk to kill or capture the badguys only to be backstabbed by Holder and Obama.Disgraceful.It’s a great day to be a Tango.