Ghailani Verdict Affirms Need for Military Commissions

Statement

Senator Jim Webb issued the following statement regarding yesterday's civilian court verdict for Ahmed Ghailani, who actively participated in al-Qaeda attacks in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Saalam, Tanzania, which killed 224 people, including 12 Americans. Ghailani was found guilty on a single conspiracy charge but cleared on 284 other counts.

"Yesterday's verdict acquitting international terrorist Ahmed Gailani of 284 of the counts against him affirms what I and others have said from the beginning: those charged with crimes of war and those who have been determined to be dangerous law-of-war detainees do not belong in our courts, our prisons or our country.

"I again call on President Obama to use the new military commission system that is in place to try the terrorist detainees currently held at the Guantanamo detention facilities. The new commission system is consistent with international standards. Moreover, it balances robust procedural and substantive rights for the defendants, including prohibiting the introduction of evidence obtained through torture, against the reality that these are not common criminals but violators of the law of war."

Source