9/11 co-conspirators referred for military trial: Holder

[The Northerner]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The alleged mastermind of the 9-11 attacks and four co-conspirators have been referred for military trial at Guantanamo Bay, US Attorney General Eric Holder said on Monday, blaming Congress for the U-turn.

Holder said he was convinced Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed and the others could have been successfully prosecuted in a US civilian court, but Congress had approved restrictions blocking trials of Guantanamo detainees in the United States.

"So today I am referring the cases of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid (Muhammad) bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, and Mustapha Ahmed Al-Hawsawi to the Department of Defense to proceed in military commissions," he said.

"Furthermore, I have directed prosecutors to move to dismiss the indictment that was handed down under seal in the Southern District of New York in December, 2009, and a judge has granted that motion," he said.

Source: http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/9134304/obama-uturn-us-to-try-911-accused-at-guantanamo/