November, 10 2009, 10:45am EDT
9/11 Families Want Guantanamo Detainees Prosecuted In Federal Court
A new video released
by the American Civil Liberties Union today features family members of
9/11 victims calling for federal trials of terrorism suspects. The
Obama administration is expected to announce by November 16 whether
certain Guantanamo detainees will be transferred to the U.S. for trial
in federal courts or be tried in the illegitimate military commissions.
NEW YORK
A new video released
by the American Civil Liberties Union today features family members of
9/11 victims calling for federal trials of terrorism suspects. The
Obama administration is expected to announce by November 16 whether
certain Guantanamo detainees will be transferred to the U.S. for trial
in federal courts or be tried in the illegitimate military commissions.
"It is of utmost importance to me that those who were responsible for
the attacks of 9/11 face a court," says Adele Welty in the ACLU video. Her son was a New York firefighter killed at the World Trade Center.
"It's very important to me that we get the right people," says John
Leinung, whose stepson was killed while working in the Twin Towers.
"That the right people are punished or held to account for what
happened on 9/11."
Pat Perry, whose son was a police offer killed on 9/11, says she would
rather see the Guantanamo detainees who have been held without charge
"appear in open court where we can all sift out what we feel is really
the truth and the judges can make a decision based on our Constitution."
These 9/11 family members all say they agree that holding detainees
without charge in Guantanamo is a betrayal of American values and they
look forward to true justice being served in federal court.
"My son gave his life to save those trapped in the Twin Towers," Welty
says, "and it does not honor him that we violate our Constitution in
retaliation for what happened on September 11."
Click here to watch the video online or visit www.aclu.org
The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 and is our nation's guardian of liberty. The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
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