9/11, al Qaeda, Barack Obama, DOJ, Gitmo, Guantanamo, Military Commissions, September 11, War on Terror

9/11 family member at DOJ meet asked ‘How many people here are in favor of closing Gitmo?’ Two hands went up

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WJHG TV, an NBC affiliate in Panama City, Florida reports:

Arias’ brother, Adam, was killed when the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed during the September 11th terrorist attacks. Arias was randomly selected to go to Guantanamo Bay this January and witness a competency hearing for accused terrorist Ramzi Binalshibh.

Arias says, “When I was in Gitmo, the defendants looked tanned and relaxed and quite cocky. They proclaimed how proud they were that they had killed almost 3,000 Americans.”

Arias is back from two weeks of meetings with the Military Commissions Prosecution Team in Orlando and the Department of Justice Task Force in the nation’s capital. Arias believes that President Obama’s plan to close Guantanamo Bay is misguided. He says he met many people who agree with him: “An elderly fireman, who retired, who lost his son on 9/11, looked around the table and said, ‘How many people here are in favor of closing Gitmo?’ Two hands went up. ‘How many people here are in favor of keeping Gitmo and the tribunals open?’ Forty hands went up. That man said, ‘Bring that to the president, tell him what 9/11 families really want.'”

He says that under the President’s current orders, a multi-agency task force will review each case in the detention center, with guidance to put as many in federal court as possible. But, he claims this provides terrorists with more rights than they deserve, and he cautions that prosecuting attorneys would have to divulge sensitive information in court just to get a conviction.

“We would actually betray our allies in the field that way. So, that would give insight into the ways, means, methods in which we collect information to thwart terrorist attacks. So, we’re putting human lives in danger by doing that.”

Arias says a justice system that punishes war criminals is vital to winning the War on Terror. He offers an argument against those who say Gitmo can be used against us: “Prior to 9/11, there was no such thing as Guantanamo Bay Detention Center. Al-Qaeda needed no recruitment tool other than hatred to kill 3,000 Americans on 9/11.”

For those family members of the victims of terrorism unable to attend the Department of Justice’s meetings, but still interested in expressing views, the DOJ “welcome[s] written submissions.” Please send your written comments via email (nsd.ovt@usdoj.gov) or fax (202-514-4275) to the Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism (OVT) no later than June 26, 2009. Click here for a few questions to consider when writing them.

Barack Obama, detainees, Guantanamo, guest authors, Keep Gitmo Open, Military Commissions, September 11, War on Terror

I am a proud American and I oppose the closing of Guantanamo Bay

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Today I had the honor and privilege of joining other family members and victims of terrorism in meeting with members of the Guantanamo Review Task Force and the Detention Policy Task Force at the Department of Justice. I learned a lot about what our new President is doing and what he has the members of the task forces working on. After doing my own research and listening to the others present today I do not believe that there is a valid reason to close Guantanamo Bay. We are at WAR with TERRORISTS. OUR CONGRESS enacted the Military Commissions Act of 2006 to deal with the issues at hand, including the prosecution or release of detainees who were captured during the current war.

Do you really want these terrorists to face trial within the US along with the rights afforded to US citizens with the strong possibility that they will get off on a technicality? Do you want these dangerous terrorists to be held within the U.S.? The President ordered Guantanamo Bay closed within a year and he has made statements to the effect that this base is a black eye on our country. I heard from many family members today who have visited the base and can attest to the conditions. These prisoners are treated better than ordinary U.S. citizens who have committed crimes! They have access to laptops, get to meet frequently, and can pray whenever they want-they are NOT being tortured! (see Inside Gitmo) And why should our military be made to feel for even a second that they have not served our country bravely and that we are anything but grateful for all of their sacrifices? I am nothing but proud of our military and their selfless efforts all around the world.

Why should the United States or its citizens feel that they have to apologize to the world for being attacked or go on a PR campaign to improve its image? We do not! I feel that our President puts us at shame when he recently said in a trip overseas that he will restore America to its greatness. WE ARE A GREAT NATION, WE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN A GREAT NATION, AND I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN. I don’t need to apologize and the President should not be apologizing to the world for me or for the U.S. for actions that are necessary to bring justice to the over 3000 victims and their families and to prevent further terrorist attacks on our nation.

Did you know that there is talk of reading terrorists their rights and excluding statements made by detainees who are not read their rights? Are we forgetting that we are at war? Are we forgetting all of the people [who] have died over the last 10 years for our country? Are we doing all we can to prevent the next terrorist attack?

Please know that if we do not begin to speak up now that we will lose our chance. Forward this email, write your own, call or write your politicians and demand that justice be served (and swiftly). The current actions of our President will make our country a mockery of the world when we can’t even effectively deal with known terrorists, some of which have already tried to plead guilty but were denied the chance to do so when President Obama stopped the Military Commissions.

We are wasting time and energy that could very well be spent on preventing future attacks or aiding all of the survivors of the attacks that have already occurred. Let the intelligence community do their job that they were assigned to do and stop getting in their way. Don’t bring known terrorists to U.S. soil when there is an effective way to deal with them already set up. Stop listening to the liberal media who are trying to fill our heads and headlines with exaggerations, lies, and one-sided arguments. As a family member said today, “Closing Guantanamo is the easy and lazy thing to do.” Stop this travesty of justice!

In honor of all of those who serve our country and all of the victims of terrorism and their families,

God bless America!

Melissa Long
June 17, 2009
Voices of September 11

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Editor:

Melissa Long’s fiancé was murdered during the 9/11 attacks upon our nation.

For those family members of the victims of terrorism unable to attend the Department of Justice’s meetings, but still interested in expressing views, the DOJ “welcome[s] written submissions.” Please send your written comments via email (nsd.ovt@usdoj.gov) or fax (202-514-4275) to the Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism (OVT) no later than June 19, 2009. * Click here for a few questions to consider when writing them.

* The deadline for submitting comments has been extended to June 26, 2009.

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Update, 3:45 PM EDT: We thank Michelle Malkin for linking over and Military Families United for cross-posting Melissa’s letter.