It looks like New York City is out (as it should be), so leaves really only leaves Virginia. There are two federal courthouses in the area. One of these courthouses was used to try Zacarias Moussaoui. This particular courthouse is in Alexandria, Virginia. So let's take a look at this courthouse.
Here are pictures of what is around this courthouse:
This a condo building. I am not sure exactly how many units are this building, but I would say 200 to 300 judging by the size of it. I have a friend who lives in this building. Another person who lives here (or least used to), is the former captain of the USS Cole. I think that he won't be too happy to have al Qaeda this close to his home.
These are office buildings and a hotel. There is also the US Patent & Trade Building within blocks of this courthouse. During the day, this is an extremely busy area. People going about their lives. Is this really better than blocks away from ground zero? Now, maybe I am baised as I live less than 20 miles from here, but I didn't like it when it was in lower Manahatten either.
Al-Qaeda's attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 was an act of war and that is half of the reason that these terrorists should be tried in front of a military tribunal. Should we really be giving rights reserved for civilians living within the United States to terrorists who are our enemy, at a time when our troops are overseas engaging these terrorists in battle to stop them? It looks like the Obama administration may reverse course and flip-flop on its decision to try these terrorists in civilian court, at least have the trial at Gitmo. Do you think people in your neighborhood are going to protest against having the trial in your neighborhood?
ReplyDeleteI'm for trying them at Guantanamo Bay as well. Cheap, fast and secure. I heard Bill Kristol lay this option out on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, and it made a whole lot of sense.
ReplyDeleteTeresa:
ReplyDeleteI don't know about what my neighborhood will do, except that the Mayor of Alexandria has said he doesn't want anymore terrorists to be tried here. The Moussaoui trial took a long time and a great deal of money. One entire section of the courthouse had to be cordened off for him. There are five of these guys so they will need even more space. I was standing in the courtyard and just turned in four directions, the courthouse, a hotel, a large condo complex, and a large office building is all within a stones throw of each other. Can you imagine if you own one of the condos and need to sell it while KSM is living across the street?