Written by William Fisher
Australia.TO
November 15, 2009

NEW YORK, Nov 15 (IPS) - The U.S. government's decision to bring five high-profile terror suspects to the United States to face trials in a civilian court has drawn reactions ranging from praise to condemnation to confusion.

While human rights advocates are generally applauding the decision to conduct trials in federal court in New York, they are at the same time strongly criticising the Justice Department for keeping the military commissions in place to try some suspects.

By GREG GORDON AND LEILA FADEL
McClatchy Newspapers
November 13, 2009

Attorney General Eric Holder, rejecting concerns about security risks, announced Friday that confessed 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four alleged underlings will face a federal court trial in New York just blocks from the scene of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history.

Reaction to Guantánamo developments
By Miami Herald Staff
gitmo@MiamiHerald.com

Judge credits time served in sentencing al-Qaeda aide
Qatari spent 6 years on Navy brig, gets half of maximum penalty
By Carrie Johnson
Washington Post
Friday, October 30, 2009
 
 
In a decision that could carry implications for the masterminds of the Sept. 11 attacks, a judge on Thursday sentenced an al-Qaeda sleeper agent with ties to the group's senior leaders to eight years and four months in prison.

Congress agrees on moving Guantanamo inmates
Tue Oct 21, 2009
By Andy Sullivan
Reuters
 
 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress took a step toward President Barack Obama's goal of closing Guantanamo Bay prison on Tuesday when it cleared a measure allowing foreign terrorism suspects held there to face prosecution in the United States.

Obama calls Karzai, doesn't say when he will decide on troop levels
USA Today
October 20, 2009
 
President Obama said he called Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to thank him for agreeing to a Nov. 7 run-off amid accusations of fraud from a vote in August.
 
The president did not indicate whether the new election date delays or pushes up his decision on wheter to deploy more troops to the war-torn regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

By Matthew Bowers
The Virginian-Pilot
October 12, 2009 
 
Family members of sailors killed in the terrorist bombing of the destroyer Cole marked the ninth anniversary of their deaths  with a brief, quiet ceremony at the Norfolk Naval Station memorial, a base spokeswoman said.
 
The families also planned to participate in another memorial service in Washington. The victims' relatives have said they’re planning a bigger commemoration next year, on the 10th anniversary.

Gitmo plan 'makes no sense'
Chad Groening
OneNewsNow
October 9, 2009
 
Guantanamo bay gitmoThe naval officer who commanded the USS Cole when it was hit by terrorists says he doesn't agree with a recent congressional "compromise" on how to try terrorist suspects now being house at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba.

Detainees Face Severe Conditions if Moved to U.S.
By Peter Finn
Washington Post
Sunday, October 4, 2009
 
For up to four hours a day, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, can sit outside in the Caribbean sun and chat through a chain-link fence with the detainee in the neighboring exercise yard at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.