Thank goodness President Obama restarted trials at Guantanamo Bay—because now Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other 9/11 terror plot suspects will be tried there instead of the controversial suggested site of New York City. Attorney General Eric Holder will make the decision today. more ›

President Obama announced today that military trials are going back to Guantanamo Bay, two years after banning them. In a statement, he said, "From the beginning of my Administration, the United States has worked to bring terrorists to justice consistent with our commitment to protect the American people and uphold our values..." more ›

Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, who was detained in Guatanamo Bay for his alleged bombing of the U.S. embassies in Africa and then moved to NYC for a civilian trial, was found not guilty on 284 terror-related charges and guilty of just one. The New York Law Journal reports, "Clearing the Tanzanian native of four conspiracies and the murder of 224 people in the near-simultaneous bombings of the embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on Aug. 7, 1998, the jury in Judge Lewis A. Kaplan's courtroom shocked prosecutors and defense lawyers alike with its verdict." more ›

Looks like there won't be a terror trial in NYC—or a military tribunal—for 9/11 "mastermind" Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: Obama Administration officials tell the Washington Post that KSM "will probably remain in military detention without trial for the foreseeable future." more ›

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder discussed the hot-button topic of trying the 9/11 terror plotters, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, with CBS News' Bob Schieffer. The Justice Department still hasn't made a decision about whether KSM and the others will be tried in civilian court or a military tribunal; Holder said they will hold a trial "as soon as we can... We are bound and determined to hold Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and those who worked with him… responsible for happened on September 11," but "One of the things I think that is particularly bothersome to me is that this really has become something that has become political." more ›

Former Brooklyn College student Syed "Fahad" Hashmi was supposed to appear in court today on charges that he plotted with Al Qaeda, but instead pleaded guilty to one charge of material support yesterday. The 30-year-old now faces up to 15 years in prison instead of 70. His lawyer said, "The government wanted to lock him up for the rest of his life. They will not succeed in that goal." more ›

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the Obama administration has not ruled out trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his alleged terror plotting cohorts in New York City, saying a NYC venue is "not off the table," though the White House has been taking "into consideration the concerns that have been raised by local officials, and by the community in New York City." Hold also pointed out, "The Southern District of New York, for instance, is a much larger place than simply Manhattan. There’s also the possibility of trying the case in other venues beyond New York." more ›

The Obama administration is reportedly working on a deal with senators that would shut down the prison at Guantanamo Bay and make Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other accused 9/11 planners stand trial in a military court—not a civilian court. Although President Obama had initially supported Attorney General Eric Holder's plan to try the suspects in a Lower Manhattan federal courthouse, the administration began distancing itself from the proposed New York trial after Republicans and local electeds including Mayor Bloomberg spoke out against it. more ›

Now that it seems the White House will opt for a military tribunal for the 9/11 terorrists, there's some handwringing about the previous, much criticized position that the trial be held in civilian court. A "well-placed Democratic source" complains to the Daily News, "This is Classic 101 Boobery. They all look awful." more ›

President Obama's advisers are reportedly close to recommending that Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other accused 9/11 plotters be tried in a military tribunal, not a lower Manhattan federal courthouse. According to unnamed sources cited in the Washington Post, the White House might cave to bipartisan opposition to holding the trial at Foley Square, as well as pressure mainly from Republicans who think the suspected terrorists should face justice in a military court. more ›

Former vice president Dick Cheney was hospitalized with chest pains at George Washington Hospital in Washington D.C. The AP reports, "Cheney assistant Peter Long issued a statement that the 69-year-old Cheney was resting comfortably and his doctors were evaluating the situation." Cheney has had four heart attacks, including a quadruple bypass surgery, and he was given a pacemaker in 2001. The former vice president has been busy lately, blasting the Obama administration about the terror trials and appearing at the CPAC meeting while defending Bush administration decisions. more ›

The NY Times takes a look at former federal prosecutor Andrew C. McCarthy, who has been voicing his objections to trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-horts in civilian court in NYC. At a protest late last year, he said, "A war is a war. A war is not a crime, and you don’t bring your enemies to a courthouse." Regarding the Christmas Day bombing attempt he's written, "Will Americans finally grasp how insane it is to regard counterterrorism as a law-enforcement project rather than a matter of national security?" One critic said, "When I read his stuff, I say, ‘Is he running for office, or does he want a show on Fox?’" but McCarthy told the Times, "It just seemed to me like since 9/11 we’ve been drifting away and away from the moment of clarity we had." more ›

A day after Vice President Biden called out Mayor Bloomberg for inflating the cost of trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other suspected 9/11 plotters in a Lower Manhattan courtroom, Bloomberg said the Veep doesn't know what he's talking about. The Mayor—who wants a guarantee that the federal government will pick up the tab for the terror trial—insisted that his estimate of $200 million per year is "reasonable." more ›

Vice President Joe Biden appeared on morning talk shows today and hit a number of topics—including the 9/11 terror trial as well as his predecessor, Dick Cheney. Of where Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the other alleged 9/11 terror plotters may eventually be tried, Biden said that a military tribunal has not been ruled out. Of Cheney, Biden said, "Let me choose my words carefully here... Dick Cheney's a fine fellow. He's entitled to his own opinion. He's not entitled to rewrite history. He's not entitled to his own facts." more ›

In a move that seemingly acknowledges the growing backlash against the plan to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other suspected 9/11 plotters in a Lower Manhattan courthouse, President Obama has said he will play a bigger role in the selection of a venue for the trial. The Washington Post reports that after initially tapping Attorney General Eric Holder to determine the site of the trial, Obama himself will become more involved so he can secure congressional funding for the case before opponents launch efforts to strip the trial of financing. more ›

The list of opponents of the plan to hold the trials of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four other suspect terrorists in a Lower Manhattan courthouse keeps getting longer. Due to concerns about security, cost, and trial's possible impact on the lives of Manhattan residents, the state Senate passed a resolution today urging the federal government to try the suspects in military tribunals, not civilian courts, according to 1010WINS. The advisory vote comes as the Obama administration appears to be considering moving the trial out of Manhattan—but not necessarily out of civilian courts. Meanwhile, tomorrow's planned City Council hearing on the terror trial has been postponed due to the pending snowpocalypse. more ›

Former terror trial supporter and current terror trial opponent Mayor Bloomberg asked the federal government to offer some kind of guarantee that it would cover the costs of bringing Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other suspected 9/11 plotters to justice in New York City. According to the Washington Post, Bloomberg said he is skeptical "because a lot of times the federal government promises to pay and then the monies don't come." more ›

The faltering plan to hold trials for the 9/11 terror suspects in downtown Manhattan has elicited intense criticism from Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Paterson, the NYPD, Chuck Schumer, and other local politicians and business leaders. But in an interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric, President Obama still declined to officially "blink," saying, "I have not ruled it out, but I think it's important for us to take into account the practical, logistical issues involved. If you have got a city that is saying no, and a police department that is saying no, and a mayor that is saying no, that makes it difficult." But what about the City Council; maybe they can turn this thing around for Obama? They've just decided to hold a hearing on the issue, so don't touch that dial... more ›

Even as his plans to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four other suspected 9/11 plotters in a Lower Manhattan courthouse seem to be unraveling, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder insists that "[h]istory will show that the decisions we've made are the right ones." In a New Yorker profile, Holder claims that some of the politicians who have blasted the Obama administration for its policies on terror have "a desire to ignore the facts to try to score political points." more ›

Mayor Bloomberg called for more anti-terrorism funding for NYC at a Homeland Security Advisory Council meeting in Midtown this afternoon. Hosted by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Mayor Bloomberg, in what passes as a passionate display for him, stressed that NYC is still a target for terrorists, and challenged Homeland Security to add funding for programs such as "Securing the Cities:" more ›

Oh, look who BLINKED! [UPDATE BELOW: Or did he?!] If we learned one lesson from Sarah Palin and George W. Bush, it's that a leader must never blink and must keep his or her eyes permanently unmoistened, using those Clockwork Orange eyelid clamps if necessary, while blundering forth on whatever path was haphazardly decided upon, no matter how catastrophic or costly things get. Today both tabloids run identical cover story headlines—BAM BLINKS—as news breaks that the White House has instructed the Justice Department to consider other places to try the 9/11 terror suspects. more ›

Attempted murder suspect Aafia Siddiqui spoke in her own defense today — and this time she wasn't thrown out of court. Though her attorneys have argued the outburst-prone Pakistani neuroscientist suffers from "diminished capacity," exhibits "conduct [that] cannot be contained" and would use her time on the stand to "turn the proceeding into a spectacle," the judge allowed her to take the stand in a hearing to determine if certain evidence will be admissible in court, and if she is fit to testify in front of jurors. more ›

Gov. Paterson has added his name to the growing list of New Yorkers who oppose President Obama's plan to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other suspected 9/11 plotters in a Lower Manhattan courthouse. "What we really might think about are some suitable alternatives that would fall within the court's jurisdiction but for the public at large would be a better place to hold the actual trial," he said. more ›

Mayor Bloomberg spoke out today against having the upcoming terror trials in NYC, although he seems more concerned about the expense than the safety issues. “It would be great if the federal government could find a site that didn’t cost a billion dollars, which using downtown will,” Bloomberg told reporters. The Mayor said he'd be "very happy" if they could find another location for the trials, and joins an increasing number of people against having the trials here. Previously, the Mayor had been in support of the trials, and even called the trials proximity to the WTC "fitting." more ›

Lower Manhattan residents who are fearful of the plan to host the trial of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four other accused 9/11 plotters in a Foley Square federal courthouse have urged the city to relocate the legal proceedings to Governor's Island. And if that doesn't work, they've drafted a shortlist of other locations including White Plains, West Point, Stewart Airport, and Orange County. more ›

Once again, the Al-Qaeda-tied scientist accused of shooting at U.S. personnel in Afghanistan was thrown out of a Manhattan courtroom for disrupting legal proceedings. This time, Aafia Siddiqui — who has already been tossed from the courtroom three times — interrupted the testimony of a chief warrant officer who was speaking about being wounded in Afghanistan. According to the Post, she shouted: "I feel sorry for you ... Don't do that. It will make America look weak in international court." Two jurors were also tossed from the jury and replaced with alternates, according to 1010WINS. The judge ejected the jurors after they "interacted" with a spectator, who was arrested. "They felt they would no longer be fair," the judge told the Daily News. Before the trial began, Siddiqui requested the use of genetic tests to keep Jews off the jury. more ›

New York City's community boards are known for being thorns in the side of city government, lobbying, often effectively, to influence the policy of councilmembers and city agencies. But it's rare to see a community board — by design the lowest wrung of municipal government — challenge the President of the United States. And it's even rarer to see them making headway. more ›

The MIT- and Brandeis-educated neuroscientist accused of attempted murder for shooting at U.S. personnel in Afghanistan was thrown out of court just 90 minutes into her trial when she interrupted testimony with a rant. Aafia Siddiqui — who has already been reprimanded for her courtroom etiquette and once urged a judge to use genetic tests to make sure her jurors wouldn't be Jews — shouted: "I was never planning to bomb [New York]. You are lying." more ›

The terror suspect who demanded potential jurors take genetic tests to make sure they aren't Jews was thrown out of court yesterday for ranting that she had "nothing to do with 9/11." Aafia Siddiqui — a 37-year-old Pakistani neuroscientist accused of "trying to kill American soldiers and FBI agents" in Afghanistan — was hauled out of the courtroom by US marshals following her outburst. more ›