Rooney: Military Commissions Right Choice for 9/11 Terrorists

U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney (FL-16), who serves on the House Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, today said the Obama Administration made the correct choice by announcing that Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and his co-conspirators will be tried in military commissions.

"I'm disappointed that it took two years to reach this conclusion, but I'm pleased that the Administration -- however reluctantly -- has finally agreed to try the enemy combatants who attacked our country on 9/11 in military tribunals," Rooney said.

"While the Attorney General made clear that he would have preferred to try these foreign terrorists in civilian courts and give them the same rights as American citizens, I appreciate that President Obama and his Administration have respected the role of Congress and the will of the American people in making this decision.

"Giving terrorists like Khalid Sheik Mohammed civilian trials would have jeopardized our national security. Military commissions are fair and provide due process for the accused, but they also protect critical intelligence officials and evidence. As a former military prosecutor, I strongly believe that trying detainees in military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay is the best way to hold terrorists accountable, keep them out of the United States, and prevent them from rejoining the fight."

Rooney, a former military prosecutor in the JAG Corps and a former constitutional law professor at West Point, introduced the "Detainee Trials at Gitmo Act" in January to require that all detainees be tried by military commission at Guantanamo Bay.

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