Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

Guantanamo detainee Hambali is the mastermind of the Bali massacre and the attack against Christians

Riduan Isamuddin, a.k.a. Riduan Isamudin, Riduan Isomuddin, and Riduan Isomudin, is better known by the nom de guerre Hambali; he is now in detention at Guantanamo. He has been described as “the Osama bin Laden of Southeast Asia,” was the military leader of the Indonesian terrorist organization Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), and was the main link between the organization and al Qaeda until his capture.

It has been frequently reported that, “Hambali was a close friend of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who planned Operation Bojinka and the September 11 terrorist attacks. Hambali envisioned creating a Muslim state, in the form of an Islamic superpower (a theocracy) across Southeast Asia, with himself as its leader (Caliph). His ambition was to rule Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, and parts of the Philippines, Myanmar, and Thailand.”

All that leads to this interesting report from the Asia News, dateline March 10, 2009:

Press Release: Military Families United and 9/11 Families Respond To 9/11 Terrorists Confession

Military Families United and 9/11 Families Respond To 9/11 Terrorists Confession

Washington, DC, March 10, 2009 – Today, Military Families United joined with 9/11 Families for a Safe and Strong America to release the following statement in response to the “9/11 Shura Council” letter announcing their responsibility and pride for their horrific actions on September 11, 2001. The document titled “The Islamic Response to the Government’s Nine Accusations,” was authored by five current detainees at Guantánamo Bay charged with planning the Sept. 11th attacks.

“The brazenness of this letter exemplifies the current threat that the terrorists at Guantanamo Bay present to America and our allies,” said Brian Wise, Executive Director of Military Families United. “These five terrorists show no remorse or repentance for taking the lives of more than 3,000 innocent civilians and if the closure of GITMO is not handled properly by the Administration, these same terrorists will be returned to the battlefield where they will undoubtedly continue their campaigns against American soldiers and innocent civilians. The President has promised the terrorists at GITMO ‘swift and certain justice’ but his persistent failure to provide a viable solution to where these dangerous terrorists are going to held does not bode well for the future of our national security.”

“This isn’t just a policy decision or the fulfillment of a campaign promise for us,” said Tim Sumner, co-founder of 9/11 Families for a Safe and Strong America. “This is the reality we live with every day. We don’t have our loved ones with us because they were taken away by the brutal acts of these men. Twice now, these five terrorists have freely admitted to a Military Commission – duly enacted by Congress – to planning and executing mass murder; we should not further delay the imposition of the appropriate punishment for that crime. We have been denied ‘swift and certain justice’ and he has now begun releasing some of these dangerous terrorists. The families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks know first-hand the pain that these men have inflicted. We sit at the dinner table with the empty chair and deeply miss those that have been taken from us. All we ask is that the President put our country’s national security above political promises.”

We are the families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the families of our brave men and women in uniform who have relentlessly fought to capture terrorists who plot to harm our country and our way of life. Many of our family members have paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect this country and their sacrifice cannot be in vain by the Administration failing to act with our country’s national security as the first priority.

We know firsthand the cost of terrorism and know that whatever actions President Obama takes with the detainees at GITMO will have a drastic effect on our courageous military and their families.

Press contact: Meghan Tisinger, Director of Communications, Military Families United, W: (202) 429-5600, C: (202) 510-5304

About Military Families United:

Military Families United serves as the nation’s premier military family advocacy organization, representing Gold and Blue Star families throughout the country and their loved ones who wear, or have worn, our nation’s uniform. Military Families United was founded in the summer of 2008 as a not-for-profit, non-partisan 501c4 policy advocacy organization committed to supporting America’s troops and their families. We fight to ensure that the sacrifices of these families are not in vain by giving them a voice in Washington, D.C and state governments throughout the country. Military Families United engages Members of Congress, the Administration, and the general public in efforts to communicate the truth about our brave men and women in uniform and their mission to protect our freedom that cost many of them their lives.

About us:

9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America is a non-partisan affiliation of 9/11 family members who view national security as the country’s top priority. The group supports the U.S. military and endorses the doctrine of pre-emption, supported by the 9/11 Commission’s statement on terrorist threats: “Once the danger has fully materialized, evident to all, mobilizing action is easier–but it then may be too late.” The organization was formed to convey our support for the military and to provide a forum for news and commentary on matters of national security and of interest to 9/11 family members. Our email address is: admin@911familiesforamerica.org