Disorder in the Court
In perhaps the most remarkable development of the day, the defendants—seated with their lawyers behind one another in five consecutive rows—could be seen talking, gesticulating and signaling, apparently taking their cues from Mohammed. Defense lawyers said they were shocked that Judge Kohlmann permitted the communications without admonition. "It's utterly shameful," said defense lawyer Durkin during an afternoon break in the proceeding. "I've never seen this in 35 years of practicing law." The judge and prosecutors were permitting it "so it will be argued that it's proof of the conspiracy."
But the issue came to a head later in the day when the military lawyer for one of the defendants, Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, another accused 9/11 financier, said in court that his client had been pressured by Mohammed and the other defendants to reject his court-appointed lawyers. Until last night his client was prepared to accept them, but changed his mind after the morning session, Major Jon Jackson, an Army lawyer appointed to represent al Hawsawi, told the judge.
"He was basically subject to intimidation by the other defendants," Jackson said. "He was basically told he was in the army now." This communication "has led my client to potentially change his mind. I don't believe this is voluntary."
Jackson urged the judge to hold off on requiring Hawsawi to choose whether he wanted to accept his defense lawyers or represent himself. Kohlmann said he would consider the motion, but began his inquiry of Hawsawi anyway—only to suspend it after a few minutes when he concluded the defendant was confused by his questions.
The session concluded with a formal reading of the charges, in which the chief prosecutor, Bob Swann, coldly read out the highlights: that the defendants did commit murder "in the violation of the laws of war" that led to the deaths of 2,970 people. The judge then asked the defendants to rise for the formal arraignment: All five remained seated. The judge then said he would defer their entering of pleas to a later date.
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Member Comments
Posted By: DXLVI @ 08/06/2008 1:48:40 AM
Comment: The defendants are nothing more than a bunch of crybabies (Allah would be proud). When I think of what they did to the inocent people at the WTC... I hope like hell they were tortured. I doubt it, but I can hope. If I give it any further thought tonight, their suffering would give me comfort. They hate us. Not because we're bad people, but because they are bad people. How many of you rasist have killed anybody because of the color of their skin? How many of you sexist have murdered somebody because their anatomy is different than yours? How many of you religious folk have killed someone from another church? These guys don't just hate diferent people they kill people because they think diferently than them. They don't just want you to be like them, they want you to be like them because they told you so. Do we as Americans (regardless of you politcal party) really need to use these jerks to be intraspective about us? Does anybody here choose these defendants as your, or better yet, your children's role models? These are all better questions than Olderwiser's questions. Sad dictator regime? You must be talking about the Bush administration. Please, consider this. They want to kill or convert as many Americans as they can. They want you to worship Allah just like they do. This will involve you learning to speak Aribic. They want to set-up an islamic dictorship to make sure you worship Allah just like they do. They hate President Bush and you hate President Bush (hack dictator is a pretty nasty thing to call our President). I hope you are as unhappy as you sound. Because you seem to have no problem at all with what the defendants did. Yet, you inpuned the reporters, the military and our President because of a question you think isn't answered in the story. I think they will get a fair trial. Will it be a perfect trial? I bet that's never happened for anybody. Was it an act of war or just a crime. Did they do it to make a buck? Was it vandalism? Or did they murder over 3000 people to achieve a geopolitiacal, ethnic, and religious goal? Sounds a lot like war to me. Either way, we aren't on trial, our country didn't deserve this and if they are guilty then I say execute them, cremate them, and dump their ashes down a toilette.
Posted By: weneed2openris @ 07/25/2008 7:32:10 AM
Comment: I wish that we would stop using the words radical and extremist. The quran is very clear on what muslims should do, they dont have to be radical or extremist...to follow the quran exactly means they must fight in the name of allah. That is not to say that all muslims are bad in anyway, most muslims do not follow the quran word for word, but their holy quran states, if they are called to fight, and dont, they are as bad as the infidels (unbelievers). So media, please stop using those words, extremist or radical, islam is NOT a religion of peace but of violence and the quran is saturated with instructions to kill all unbelievers. We better open our eyes before we are under sharia law.
Posted By: simplesimon33 @ 06/18/2008 11:54:29 PM
Comment: Martyrs in the making at Guantanamo by Timothy Rutten LA Times (on 6/8/08)
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed may have been called to answer about 9/11 attacks but real questions will never be asked at these mock trials like:
1. What was the connection between Pakistani ISI and Al Qaeda?
2. Who in Pakistani government was KSM in contact with?
3. Pakistani ISI director General Mahmoud Ahmed had instructed Omar Sheikh (kidnapper of Daniel Pearl) to wire $100,000 dollars to lead hijacker Mohammed Atta in his Florida bank account. Mohammed Atta used that money for flight training, living expenses and purchase of tickets on the day of the attacks. How many meetings did KSM had with General Mahmoud Ahmed before 9/11 attacks to finalize that arrangement?
4. General Mahmoud Ahmed as ISI Director only reported to Army Chief General Musharraf. Did KSM also met General Musharraf to finalize the day of 9/11 attacks and financing of the attacks? How did two Generals as Pakistani government leaders helped in executing 9/11 attacks?
5. How did Omar Sheikh who was released by India in 1998 hijacking of an Indian airliner to Taliban, wound up with KSM?
6. Why did kidnappers of Daniel Pearl demand the delivery of F-16 jet fighters by US to Pakistani government as a condition for release of Daniel Pearl? What connection did kidnappers of Daniel Pearl have with Pakistani government?
simple simon