Text 3204, 128 rader
Skriven 2006-09-06 23:31:20 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0609062) for Wed, 2006 Sep 6
===================================================
===========================================================================
Fact Sheet: Bringing Terrorists to Justice
===========================================================================
For Immediate Release
September 6, 2006
Fact Sheet: Bringing Terrorists to Justice
˙˙˙˙˙ President Discusses Creation of Military Commissions to Try Suspected
Terrorists ˙˙˙˙˙ In Focus: National Security
Today, The President Announced That Khalid Sheikh Mohammed ("KSM"), Abu
Zubaydah, Ramzi Bin Al Shibh, And 11 Other Terrorists In CIA Custody Have
Been Transferred To The Custody Of The Department Of Defense, At The U.S.
Naval Base At Guantanamo Bay.˙More information on the individuals
transferred to Guantanamo is available at
http://www.odni.gov/announcements/content/DetaineeBiographies.pdf.˙
These Men Have Provided Valuable Information That Has Saved Innocent Lives
In The United States And Around The World. ˙In addition to terrorists held
at Guantanamo, a small number of suspected terrorist leaders and operatives
captured during the war have been held and questioned outside the U.S., in
a separate program operated by the CIA.˙ The detainees recently transferred
to the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay were previously held and
questioned by the CIA.˙ The CIA program focused on a number of suspected
terrorist leaders and operatives dangerous men with unparalleled
knowledge about terrorist networks and plans for new attacks.˙
The CIA Program Has Been, And Remains, One Of The Most Vital Tools In Our
War Against The Terrorists.˙Questioning of detainees in the program has
given us information that has saved innocent lives by helping us to stop
new attacks in America and abroad.
Information From Detainees Questioned In This Program Has Helped Unravel
Plots And Terrorist Cells˙
According To Our Intelligence Community, The Program Has Produced
Information That Has Saved Lives.˙ Some Examples Include The Following:˙˙
ū Abu Zubaydah Told Us That Al Qaida Operatives Were Planning To Launch
An Attack Inside The United States.˙ Based on information he provided,
the operatives were detained, one while traveling to the U.S.˙ Zubaydah
also disclosed that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed ("KSM") was the mastermind
behind the September 11 attacks.˙˙
ū Information Provided By Zubaydah Also Helped Lead To The Capture Of
Ramzi Bin Al Shibh, One Of KSM's Accomplices In 9/11.˙ Together, these
two terrorists provided information that helped in the planning and
execution of the operation that captured KSM.˙
ū KSM Provided Information That Led Us To The Capture Of A Terrorist
Operative Named Zubair, Who Provided Information That Helped Lead To
The Capture Of Hambali The Leader Of Al Qaida's Southeast Asian
Affiliate Known As JI (Jamal Islamia).˙ After Hambali's arrest, KSM was
questioned again, and he identified Hambali's brother as the leader of
a JI cell, and Hambali's conduit for communications with al Qaida.˙
Hambali's brother was soon captured, and he in turn led us to a cell of
17 Southeast Asian JI operatives.˙ When confronted with the news that
his terror cell had been broken up, Hambali admitted that the
operatives were being groomed at KSM's request for attacks inside the
U.S., possibly using airplanes.
ū KSM Also Told Us Many Details Of Other Plots To Kill Innocent Americans
And Provided Vital Information On Al Qaida's Efforts To Obtain
Biological Weapons For Terrorist Attacks.˙ He described the design of
planned attacks on buildings inside the U.S. and how operatives were
directed to carry them out.˙ He told us the operatives had been
instructed to ensure the explosions went off at a point that was high
enough to prevent the people trapped above from escaping out of the
windows.
Suspected Terrorists In The CIA Program Have Provided Everything From
Initial Leads To Photo Identifications To Precise Locations Of Where
Terrorists Were Hiding Helping Us Take Potential Mass Murderers Off The
Streets Before They Were Able To Kill Or Kill Again.˙Detainees in this
program have helped us identify individuals that al Qaida deemed suitable
for Western operations, including terrorists sent to case targets inside
the U.S.˙ Detainees in this program have identified al Qaida travel routes
and safe havens, and explained how al Qaida's senior leadership
communicates with its operatives in Iraq.˙ They have identified voices in
recordings of intercepted calls and helped us understand the meaning of
potentially critical terrorist communications.
Legislation Authorizing The Creation Of Military Commissions To Try These
Suspected Terrorists For War Crimes
Today, The President Sent Legislation To Congress To Specifically Authorize
The Creation Of Military Commissions To Try These Suspected Terrorists For
War Crimes.˙The Bill ensures that these commissions are established in a
way that protects our national security and ensures a full and fair trial
for the accused.˙ As soon as Congress acts to authorize the military
commissions the President proposed, the men our intelligence officials
believe orchestrated the deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans on September 11,
2001, can face justice.˙ We will also seek to prosecute those believed to
be responsible for the attack on the USS Cole and an operative believed
to be involved in the bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and
Tanzania.˙
The Legislation Also Includes Vital Provisions To Preserve Our Ability To
Question Key Terrorist Leaders And Operatives.˙We will continue to hunt
down terrorist leaders and operatives.˙ And as more high-ranking terrorists
are captured, the CIA program will be crucial to obtaining the life-saving
information they can provide.˙
ū The Supreme Court's Recent Determination That Common Article Three
(CA3) Of The Geneva Conventions Applies To The War With Al Qaida Put In
Question The Future Of The CIA Program.˙ CA3 prohibits "outrages upon
personal dignity" and "humiliating and degrading treatment."˙ These and
other provisions are vague and undefined and could be interpreted in
different ways by American and foreign judges.˙
ū We Owe Our Military And Intelligence Personnel Involved In Capturing
And Questioning Terrorists Clear Rules So They Can Continue To Do Their
Jobs And Protect Our People. ˙We are asking Congress to pass
legislation that will clarify the rules for our personnel fighting the
war on terror.˙ We need to ensure that those questioning the terrorists
can continue to do everything within the limits of the law to get
information that can save American lives.˙
Passing This Legislation Is A Top Priority, And We Will Work With Congress
To Act Quickly To Strengthen And Clarify Our Laws To Meet The Threats Of A
New Era.˙We will ensure that the CIA program goes forward in a way that
follows the law, meets the national security needs of our country, and
protects the brave men and women we ask to obtain information that will
save innocent lives.˙
# # #
===========================================================================
Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/09/20060906-2.html
* Origin: (1:3634/12)
|