ACLJ: DOJ Decision To Try Terror Suspects in Military Commissions "Long Overdue"

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), focusing on constitutional law, said a decision by the Department of Justice to prosecute terrorists in military commissions instead of civilian courts is long overdue and expressed concern that a defiant U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder still believes that civilian courts is the best venue to try accused terrorists.

In a decision reversing current policy, Holder blamed Congress for forcing him to use military tribunals to try the terror suspects - including alleged 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed - and said he is reluctantly agreeing to using military commissions in order to move the judicial process along.

“What's unimaginable is the fact that the Attorney General still believes the federal court system is the proper venue to try accused terrorists and is blaming Congress for getting involved,” said Jordan Sekulow, Attorney and Director of International Operations of the ACLJ.  “The fact that the 9-11 accused terrorists will now face military tribunals is long overdue and despite the Attorney General's flawed logic, it is the proper venue to try these accused terrorists.  It's clear that many members of Congress and most Americans understand the truth - President Obama's judicial strategy to place these terror suspects in civilian courts is seriously flawed.  We have heard from more than 100,000 Americans who called for these trials to take place in military tribunals - clearly the proper venue for justice.”

The ACLJ has argued for years that military tribunals are the proper place to try terror suspects.  And more than 100,000 Americans signed on to ACLJ's Petition to Keep Terrorists Out of Civilian Courts urging the President and Congress to take action.

"Giving accused terrorists the same rights as those afforded to U.S. citizens is not only offensive but represents a dangerous move that puts our national security at risk," added Sekulow.  "Putting terror suspects on trial in civilian courts would limit – and even exclude – important evidence – place our intelligence gathering techniques at risk – and even give terror suspects a platform to spew hate and incite more violence. "

Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice focuses on constitutional law and is based in Washington, D.C.  The ACLJ is online at www.aclj.org.

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SOURCE American Center for Law and Justice