Oklahoma ties to 9/11 trial

INHOFE CALLS TRIAL AN INSULT

Sen. Jim Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican, blasted the decision to hold federal civil trials for alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad and four other suspected terrorists in New York.

"President Obama’s failure to recognize terrorist attacks as acts of war is a victory for the terrorists, putting the city of New York and our nation in unnecessary danger,” Inhofe said. "It is outrageous to think that the 9/11 conspirators should be tried in a New York federal court as if they are common criminals when in reality, they planned the largest attack ever carried out on U.S. soil. This insults the memory of every American we lost on that catastrophic day as well as every member of our military who has fought so hard to defeat terrorism.

"President Obama has demonstrated an obsession for closing Gitmo (Guantanamo Bay), and this latest announcement proves he is willing to make an extreme gamble in order to fulfill that political objective ... . Our facilities at Gitmo meet the highest human rights standards and provide a venue for military tribunals while holding terrorists in a secure facility away from the American population.

"Among many consequences, today’s decision emboldens terrorists, opens the way for terrorist attacks to be watered down as criminal acts instead of acts of war, puts our intelligence gathering capabilities at risk, provides the terrorists with an international media stage to spread their propaganda and potentially results in a long drawn out legal process that includes appeals and possible release.”

FROM STAFF REPORTS