AP:
Osama bin Laden's son-in-law, the voice of fiery al-Qaida propaganda videotapes after the Sept. 11 attacks, was convicted Wednesday of conspiring to kill Americans for his role as the terror group's spokesman.
Well, chalk one up for the military prosecutors at Guantanamo Bay for...oh, wait:
On Monday, during closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cronan underscored the importance of Abu Ghaith's post-9/11 status...The jury returned a guilty verdict on three charges: conspiracy to kill Americans, conspiring to provide support to al-Qaida and providing support to al-Qaida...Captured in Jordan last year and brought to New York, Abu Ghaith has actively participated in his trial. He listened to testimony and arguments through headphones linked to an Arabic translator.
Assistant U.S. Attorney? Jury?
New York?!?
How very odd. I seem to remember a proposal to try another top al Qaeda figure in federal court in New York City. There were some pretty memorable predictions made at that time:
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued a statement Friday denouncing the decision to try the 9/11 suspects as "common criminals."
"The attacks of September 11th were an act of war," Cornyn said. "Reverting to a pre-9/11 approach to fighting terrorism and bringing these dangerous individuals onto U.S. soil needlessly compromises the safety of all Americans. Putting political ideology ahead of the safety of the American people just to fulfill an ill-conceived campaign promise is irresponsible."
Texas Rep. Lamar Smith, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, said the decision meant Mohammed and the other defendants would be able to claim new protections, including Miranda and Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure.
"America already gives terrorists more constitutional rights than any other country," Smith said. "The administration should not prioritize the rights of terrorists over the rights of Americans to be safe and secure."
Looking back at today's report about the Abu Ghaith conviction, I cannot help but notice that the biased liberal media refused to even mention that thousands of innocent civilians who have been killed by jihadist terror attacks in New York City over the course of this trial. Typical.
So, anyway, to sum things up: there were more al Qaeda figures convicted of terrorism in New York City's federal courts yesterday than have been convicted by military tribunals in Guantanamo Bay in its entire history.
Let's hear it for the gutless wonders who blocked the KSM trial and the transfer of the suspects held there to the federal courts and prisons. Way to make sure Americans are safe and secure.