A group of 16 US lawmakers introduced legislation Wednesday aimed at preventing civilian trials for suspected terrorists from being held at US military installations.
"Military installations are inappropriate locations to try terrorists in civilian trials," said Representative Buck McKeon, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.
McKeon fiercely opposes civilian trials for extremists like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks, and says they should instead face a military commission at Guantanamo Bay.
"It is improper to treat Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his henchmen as run-of-the-mill criminals in a civilian court on a military installation," McKeon said in a statement released by his office.
The legislation declares that civilian trials of suspected terrorists cannot be held at any "of the installations owned, operated, or under the effective control of the Department of Defense that are located in the United States, its territories or possessions."
Fifteen other lawmakers, all Republicans, co-sponsored the bill upon its introduction.
Copyright 2010 AFP American Edition
