Keep Guantanamo open, September 11 families say

By Jim Loney

GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - Nine relatives of September 11 victims witnessed the controversial Guantanamo war court in action on Thursday and called on U.S. President Barack Obama to keep the remote detention camp and war crimes trials open.

The family members, brought to the U.S. military base in Cuba by the Pentagon, saw three of the five men accused of plotting the 2001 hijacked airliner attacks face the court set up by former President George W. Bush to try suspects in his war on terrorism.

But they did not see the alleged mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who boycotted the session.

The relatives toured the U.S. Navy base but were not allowed into the detention camps. They met with guards and praised their work, as well as the operation of the first U.S. war crimes tribunals since World War II.

Critics call the Guantanamo detention camps a stain on America's human rights reputation and the tribunals a miscarriage of justice.

"I have nothing to gain other than to tell you people, we need this camp. We absolutely need this camp," said Gary Reiss of Yardley, Pennsylvania, whose son Joshua, a 23-year-old bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald, died in the World Trade Center.

"Please keep Guantanamo Bay open and the commission hearings continuing," added his wife, Judith. "You must pursue justice for the 3,000 victims of 9-11 and I ask this in my son Joshua's memory."

Pentagon officials said the nine were chosen randomly by a computer from a list of relatives who wanted to attend.

Obama halted Guantanamo prosecutions by executive order soon after his inauguration and ordered the detention camps closed by next January.

"Our government's current executive order to halt the military commissions makes us look foolish and weak and invites more attacks," said Melissa Long, whose boyfriend died in the attacks.

MENTAL COMPETENCY HEARING

The five alleged September 11 conspirators disrupted and delayed the war court when they refused to leave their cells for the hearing.

Mohammed and Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, both Pakistanis, Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi, a Saudi, and Yemenis Ramzi Binalshibh and Walid bin Attash, could face the death penalty if convicted of murder, conspiracy, terrorism and other charges.

Thursday's hearing dealt with the mental competency of Binalshibh and al-Hawsawi.

The boycott stalled proceedings for more than two hours before bin Attash, al-Hawsawi and Aziz Ali finally were brought to the high-security courtroom. But al-Hawsawi soon demanded to leave after complaining he would not be allowed to speak.