Obama's Plan to Try 9/11 Organizers in Civilian Courts Faces Intensifying Opposition

The acquittal of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, accused of orchestrating the 1998 bombings of US embassies in east Africa, has reignited a contentious debate surrounding President Barack Obama's decision to try the organizers of the 9/11 attacks in civilian courts. The New York jury's verdict, which acquitted Ghailani on 284 charges while convicting him on a single count of conspiracy to destroy government property, has led leading Republicans to demand that Obama scrap his plans. The Republican Senate leader, Mitch McConnell, argued that the verdict demonstrates the administration's approach to prosecuting terrorists has been "deeply misguided and potentially harmful as a matter of national security."

Key Takeaways:

• The acquittal of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani has reignited a debate about the Obama administration's plan to try 9/11 organizers in civilian courts.
• Ghailani was convicted on a single count of conspiracy to destroy government property, while being acquitted on 284 charges, including 213 counts of murder and conspiracy.
• The verdict has led leading Republicans, including Mitch McConnell and Peter King, to demand that Obama scrap his plans to try 9/11 organizers in civilian courts.
• Obama argues that military commissions have been "damaging to the US" and that federal civilian courts have a stronger track record of convicting terrorists, with over 400 convictions on terrorism-related charges since 9/11.
• Military commissions have secured convictions for just five terrorists, with Peter King blaming Ghailani's acquittal on the rules of evidence in civilian courts.
• Ghailani's lawyers claim he was tortured, with a witness excluded from testifying due to the improper use of evidence obtained during CIA interrogation.

Statistics:

• Over 400 people have been convicted on terrorism-related charges in federal civilian courts since 9/11 (Source: US Justice Department).
• Military commissions have secured convictions for just five terrorists (Source: US Justice Department).
• Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani faces at least 20 years in prison for his conviction on conspiracy to destroy government property.
• 284 charges were dropped against Ghailan, including 213 counts of murder and conspiracy (Source: New York Jury Verdict).

Sources:

• US Justice Department: "Number of Terrorism-Related Convictions in Federal Courts"
• New York Jury Verdict: Acquittal of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani
• US Department of State: "Fact Sheet: Military Commissions for Terrorism Detainees"
• CNN: "A Patriot's Toolkit: Understanding the Challenge of Terrorism"