9/11 suspect: 'I wish to be martyred'

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (CNN) -- Two al Qaeda figures accused in the September 11 attacks told a U.S. military judge Thursday that they want to die as martyrs.

"If I'm killed, I will be killed for the sake of God," said Ramzi bin al-Shibh, who is accused of helping coordinate the attacks. "I've been seeking to be a martyr for years."

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who claims to be the mastermind behind the attacks, said he wished to dismiss his lawyers and plead guilty.

The judge, Marine Col. Ralph Kohlmann, asked Mohammed numerous times whether he understood that he faces the death penalty. Mohammed told Kohlmann he could not accept any attorney because he believes only in Sharia, or Islamic law.

"That is what I wish. I wish to be martyred," he said.

The two men made the statements at their long-awaited arraignments at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Mohammed, al-Shibh and three co-defendants, all al Qaeda suspects, were arraigned on numerous charges for their alleged roles in the September 11 terrorist attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people.

It is the first time that reporters have been able to see the accused al Qaeda operatives, who were all in the same room for the first time since their arrests in 2002 and 2003. Video Watch how the defendants surprised the judge »

The defendants were seated at separate tables. None stood when Kohlmann entered. They spoke freely among themselves throughout the proceeding, and Mohammed appeared to be instructing the others.

Al-Shibh, the only defendant in leg shackles, entered the courtroom with a defiant swagger, laughing at media members who were straining to get a look at him.

In addition to Mohammed and bin al-Shibh, the defendants are Walid bin Attash, who is said to have helped train the hijackers; and Mustafa al Hawsawi and Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, both of whom are accused of arranging financing for the plot.

Attash also told the judge he wanted to dismiss his legal team and represent himself.

Wearing a prison outfit and a foot-long gray beard, Mohammed appeared much thinner than when he was captured five years ago.
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When he was addressed by Kohlmann, he started singing a prayer in Arabic and then repeated it in English.

The judge stopped him, saying, "I understand you have been held here for a long time and have some things to say."

Mohammed asked to continue what he was saying, noting that he understood he could not talk about torture or the Quran. Kohlmann allowed it, and Mohammed started to talk about wishing to represent himself.

Mohammed's lawyer interjected, saying his client did not understand the importance of the arraignment, and the judge explained to Mohammed that it would not be a good idea to represent himself.

Kohlmann announced at the start of the session that at least part of the detainees' statements would be classified and the judge would block out audio.

The defendants have been in U.S. government custody since 2002 and 2003, and they were transferred to the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in September 2006. The charges against them include murder in violation of the law of war, various terrorism counts and intentionally causing bodily injury. Learn more about the suspects »

In a written statement read at a March 2007 hearing, at which he was present, Mohammed said he was responsible for the attacks "from A to Z."

Thursday's proceedings follow years of struggles by the Bush administration to craft a process for bringing the detainees to trial, and officials involved in the military commissions know that the eyes of the world will be on them. Learn how the tribunal will work »

Critics have called Guantanamo Bay a legal "black hole" for detainees who the United States says are not protected as prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions.

The process has been roundly criticized by defense lawyers, who are fighting to keep hearsay statements and evidence obtained through coercive interrogation techniques from being used against their clients. For example, the U.S. government has admitted to using the simulated drowning technique known as waterboarding, long considered a form of torture, on Mohammed.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which has been monitoring the cases, said the verdicts won't be considered legitimate without constitutional guarantees for the accused.

"No matter who is representing these defendants, many of whom have been abused and tortured, there needs to be a process in place that adheres to the values of due process and the rule of law that are the foundations of American justice -- and this isn't it," Anthony Romero, the ACLU's executive director, said in a written statement.

Defense attorneys had asked for Thursday's proceedings to be delayed, arguing that they have not had enough time with their clients since the charges were announced in May.

Army Maj. Jon Jackson, al Hawsawi's lawyer, said that it's a good thing the cases are finally moving forward but that defense attorneys should have more time to discuss the cases with their clients.

"We, the defense, should have been granted a reasonable delay in order to develop a relationship with these men, to talk with them about their case, to discuss strategies before we are rushed into the courtroom," Jackson said before heading to Guantanamo

Kohlmann denied the delay request.

The actual charges against the men were only sworn against them May 9. And although prosecutors are pushing for a September trial, officials familiar with the process expect long delays and much legal fighting. They say a trial is probably at least many months away.

www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/05/guantanamo.arraignments/index.html


I'm going to go against the grain and say... lets just lock him up in solitary at the SuperMax for the rest of his life.

let him rot in jail totaly dependent on the US for everything

Quoted: let him rot in jail totaly dependent on the US for everything

My thought, too.  Solitary confinement for the rest of his life.  Dying is too good for him.

HH

I bet he wants to be a martyr.  That would make him the big hero in the Jihadist's eyes.

Nope, I say put him in an open air cell near ground zero.

Place an outhouse above his cell which empties directly into it.

Sell tickets to use the outhouse.  Use money to fund the GWOT.

Sell chili dogs for $2 extra in the line leading to the outhouse.

Well no death penalty then.

Quoted: I bet he wants to be a martyr.  That would make him the big hero in the Jihadist's eyes. Nope, I say put him in an open air cell near ground zero. Place an outhouse above his cell which empties directly into it. Sell tickets to use the outhouse.  Use money to fund the GWOT. Sell chili dogs for $2 extra in the line leading to the outhouse.

............or just burn him alive with a slurry of pigfat/shit/diesel fuel.

Give him a sex change and a transfusion of pig blood and cut him loose in Riyadh.

Let me take him apart with a drill and an angle grinder, I expect he would repent and want mercy.

Wood chipper, feet first.

Fine by me.

Set up the camcorder and someone hand me a dull knife.

I'll put the video on YouTube so all his friends can celebrate his meeting with the 72 virgins or whatever.

Make him a new part of Jeff Dunham's act.

Quoted: Make him a new part of Jeff Dunham's act.

Somebody hand me a belt sander and a drill

We really need one of the old territorial judges from and 1800s to preside over these.


JUDGE:> How do you plead?
JERK:> I wish to become a martyr.
JUDGE:> OK granted. Next defendant please.

They should train pigs to analy rape him.  Post videos of pigs doing the money shot on his face.  show them.

It's too bad we can't take assholes like that and perform hypnotism on them, convert them to another religion and post videos of them decanting Islam.

Let them become Jehova's Witnesses or Branch Davidians or something.

Quoted: decanting Islam.

er recanting?

Quoted: Quoted: decanting Islam. er recanting?

If we do that,where will we pour it!

Emotionally I agree with the dress him in a pig skin, give him a last meal of pork, and hang him.
But, in his case life in prison in absolute solutary with tapes of Billy Grahm might be appropriate.

Make the rest of his life as unpleasant as possible.  If he wishes he was dead now that is nothing.

BTW: why does this POS even get a trial?

Quoted: I bet he wants to be a martyr.  That would make him the big hero in the Jihadist's eyes. Nope, I say put him in an open air cell near ground zero. Place an outhouse above his cell which empties directly into it. Sell tickets to use the outhouse.  Use money to fund the GWOT. Sell chili dogs for $2 extra in the line leading to the outhouse.

Now THERE is a punishment I would love to see ! ! !  

We could probably retire the national debt if we sold lottery tickets for the job of helping him in his quest.

(Group buy, anybody?)

If he reeeeeeeeeeally wanted to be a martyr, why wasn't he on a plane?

somebody toss this guy a pound of bacon and put two in his head.

Install video cam in his cell.

Broadcast it on Arabic language websites and satellite

Every day, have a medical professional inject him with female hormones.

Make sure that his guards are all handsome.

Take a few lower ranking scum, line them up in a row with KSM at the end of the line.
Bullet to the head of each lower scum, film KSM cry and shit his pants when his turn comes up.
Shoot KSM in head. Who cares if he's a martyr he'll be a dead martyr.
Don't be such a fucking pussified nation when handing out punishment to 3rd world shitheads.

Quoted: If he reeeeeeeeeeally wanted to be a martyr, why wasn't he on a plane?

Why is there no documentation showing Hitler ever visited a death camp?

Give him a life sentance of careing for the hogs on a prison farm, if he refuses to perform his tasks, hand cuff him in the pig pen till he is agreeable.  Sooner or later the pigs will get fed.  

If he perfoms his task it will make excellent propaganda, if he doesn't we'll have one less problem to worry about.

Quoted: Give him a life sentance of careing for the hogs on a prison farm, if he refuses to perform his tasks, hand cuff him in the pig pen till he is agreeable.  Sooner or later the pigs will get fed.   If he perfoms his task it will make excellent propaganda, if he doesn't we'll have one less problem to worry about.

I could get along with a guy like you.

put him in a jail cell next to an airforce/navy/marines practice range. They practice 24/7 essentially just drop a Jdam every hour and never let him go to sleep. Ever. Maybe one will accidentally miss their target and hit the trailer.

What he wants isn't relevant; he'll have to take what he gets and I hope he gets what he deserves.

It would save alot of money and B.S. if they just tied a line to each of the bastards and trolled them behind a boat in the bay.  Sharks gotta eat too, and lots of sharks in Guantanamo Bay.  

Since his "martyrdom" is only of significance to other ROPers, he should be executed in absolute secrecy. Put him on a small, unchartered plane, fly him out over the middle of the Pacific, put a couple of bullet holes in his extremities to help draw the sharks and hinder his swimming abilities, and shove him out from about 10,000 feet up.

Then, every few years, circulate a fresh rumor that he's still alive.

I say give it to him. Go on TV and announced to all the Jihadists out there that if we capture you and you request to be martyred, we will grant it.

Death by fire ants.

Nope, drop him in solitary in the 4th sub-basement at your favourite super-max federal pen.