Before you start hanging up the Mission Accomplished signs about this hopeful news on the terror trials, keep a few things in mind (“Bam Blinks,” Jan. 29).
If they’re just moved from lower Manhattan to somewhere else on US soil, it’s still an outrage. Somebody, somewhere will have to deal with the danger, drama and cost.
Above all, this whole idea of giving constitutional protection to non-citizen enemy combatants does immeasurable damage to our system of laws.
There’s only one satisfactory solution: Send them all back to Gitmo where they belong.
Bob Hunt
Hillsborough, NJ
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President Obama instructed the Justice Department to look for another venue to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed instead of New York City.
How about moving it to Chicago, since it didn’t get the Olympics? Just don’t let Obama show up to support the idea.
Wayne Olson
Suffern
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It looks like reason and sanity have finally prevailed over a horribly misguided political agenda from the Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder.
Now that Obama has requested that Holder investigate alternate sites for the trial of this international terrorist, the good citizens of New York City can start to breathe a little easier.
It was a foolish and precipitous decision to begin with, and it has caused a lot of people living in downtown New York unnecessary anguish and anxiety.
What was worse than the decision itself was the arrogance and implacable disposition of Holder as he refused to consider that he made a big mistake in not consulting New York community leaders about the decision to conduct the trial here.
Unless his general attitude has a remarkable change for the better, he will continue to make these kinds of self-centered, politically motivated choices.
That is not the kind of lawyer who should be running the Department of Justice.
Tom Cahill
Manhattan
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I’m glad Mayor Bloomberg finally spoke out against having the 9/11 trials here.
I suggest they hold these trials in Washington, DC.
Melanie Coronetz
Manhattan
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The 9/11 attacks caused the “post-traumatic-stress event” of our generation. This phenomenon became evident when thousands of us in New York and New Jersey ran for our lives during Air Force One’s low-flying photo shoot last year.
Since the Chicago Machine in Washington is oblivious, I’m confident Bloomberg will rise up like the leader he is to protect the health and welfare of our citizens.
Just say “no” to the terror trials — not now, not today, not ever.
Tish Ferguson
Point Pleasant, NJ
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The terrorist trials should be moved from New York City to 1602 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Security exists just across the street, and the terrorists would have the opportunity to crash a White House party.
Tom Lienhard
Westfield, NJ
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The elected officials who sent a letter to Obama demanding a change of location for the 9/11 terrorist trials have done themselves and their country no honor.
Somewhere else in the country, let our fellow Americans, whoever they are, deal with the expense, the security risks and the threat of a terrorist attack.
That’s hardly the kind of patriotism, togetherness and all-for-one spirit that the 9/11 attacks inspired.
Their disingenuousness, dishonesty and hypocritical behavior, especially in response to the attacks upon America, is disgraceful.
A proper and genuine respect for the Constitution and the rule of law, common sense and honesty demand that the terrorist trials be returned to military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay. Getting them out of New York is the first step toward that.
Michael Burke
The Bronx