Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

9/11 family member comes face to face with evil: Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

Lorraine Arias-Beliveau’s youngest brother Adam Arias was killed in Tower 2 of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. In yesterday’s New York Daily News, she described her close encounter with Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and her reaction the next day, while still on Guantanamo Naval Base, when President Barack Obama announced Gitmo would close:

I could hardly believe my eyes when he came into focus: Khalid Shaik Mohammed, the man who boasted of having masterminded the attacks. He sat there in front of us, preening his beard. Did he seem humbled or chastened? Hardly. He looked like, deep inside, he was laughing in our faces.

What we then saw unfold was less of a trial than a farce. Mohammed dismissed his council — only to call them back. He sat there at the table, in front of his personal computer, complaining about something he had read in The Wall Street Journal — holding up the newspaper for the rest of us to see.

Before long, the scene was overwhelmed by a steady stream of what sounded to me like legal minutiae and trivialities. It was sickening. It was surreal.

I will never forget what interrupted that: Khalid Shaikh Mohammed’s defense declaring to the court that their client was requesting a cushion because his seat in the van had been too hard. A debate unfolded: the prosecution claimed the cushion had already been provided; the defense insisted he had not received one.

Was this really happening? I went outside for air. My on-base escort followed and asked me what was wrong. “Three thousand people are dead and they are arguing over a cushion,” I answered.

Then came a two hour break — one for lunch, the second for the defendants’ specially protected hour of prayer.

It wasn’t long before the circus resumed. Back at trial, Mohammed burst out with this (according to my notes): “I did it I said I did it! I am proud I did it for jihad!! We say we are guilty just sentence me!”

The words were chilling but something cut even deeper to my core: his gaze. Mohammed turned to make eye contact with us. We stared back.

Before long, court was dismissed, and we were informed that, due to the inauguration of the new President, there would be no hearings the following day.

The following morning we heard the news over CNN: by order of the President, all the proceedings were now on hold… READ THE REST.

That courtroom discussion about a cushion for a self-confessed mass-murderer’s derrière was no joke. It is but one product of a so far successful campaign conducted on behalf of Islamic terrorists by their profiteering lawyers. Their tales of torture, abuse, starvation, and deprivation has been knowingly furthered by human rights organizations, newspapers, and media outlets.

No pun intended, the end result of their propaganda may well be terrorists moved to America’s prisons in or near civilian populaces, attacks conducted to free them, al Qaeda trained jihadists released on bail onto America’s streets pending trial, the granting to some among them permanent resident status, and the public disclosure of America’s secrets during their trials in our federal courts.

Was it really a propaganda campaign? Yes.

A 9/11 family member chides the new President for closing Guantanamo terror camp

This morning, the New York Daily News published my op-ed on President Barack Obama’s decision to close Guantanamo and suspend the Military Commissions:

With his shameful order to close Guantanamo Bay, President Obama has perfectly filled the stereotype of the classic clueless ultra-Liberal — the one who can generate great passion for the rights of the guilty defendant and none for the innocent victim.

With a single stroke of the pen, Obama has delayed justice for the victims of 9/11, and in essence granted a reprieve for Al Qaeda mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the architect of 9/11.

America does not honor our “rule of law and the rights of man” as he put in his inauguration speech by such an action. Instead, this nation abdicated its duty to justice.

It seems the new President is too far removed from the victims of 9/11. Victims like 11-year-old Bernard Curtis Brown, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon. Everyone onboard was killed, as well as [125] people in the Pentagon. Curtis was on a trip with several of his classmates to California sponsored by National Geographic.

Obama and the Democrats have had a blind spot for 9/11 and have yet to show they have an ounce of understanding what happened that day.

Here is why we were attacked: Muslim extremists hate Americans and want us dead. Our policies in no way influenced the vitriol perpetuated on innocent Americans on September 11, 2001. …

Please read the rest and scan down or click here to comment.

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Contact: mike@911familiesforamerica.org

Editor —

Mike’s brother was 9/11 hero FDNY Captain William F. Burke Jr., of Engine 21. CPT Burke perished on the North Tower’s 24th floor after choosing to stay with two workers — one a paraplegic — after the South Tower had collapsed, receiving the order to evacuate, and ordering his fire company to head down the stairs.

BTW, the title for Mike’s commentary was chosen by the Daily News, as is the norm. It sure seemed like he was slamming President Obama (not chiding him) to me..

Additional note: We thank Michelle Malkin and Bob Parks for their posts about this.