Media contact: Veronique Rodman
vrodman@aei.org; 202.862.4871

In two postings on the Enterprise blog, AEI scholar John Yoo and Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) warn about the dire consequences of Attorney General Eric Holder's announcement to try Khalid Sheikh Muhammad (KSM) and five other high-value 9/11 hijackers in the United States. Hoekstra, who is the ranking member in the House Intelligence Committee, and Yoo both point out the danger that such trials would do to U.S. intelligence gathering and national security.

"Why Bring KSM to the United States?" by Rep. Pete Hoekstra:

"What possible benefit is there to bringing him into the United States for trial? There is absolutely none for the American people, but there is every benefit to KSM and al-Qaeda propagandists, who will use it as a platform to put the United States on trial and broadcast their propaganda and jihadist ideology to the world. After the Fort Hood shootings, is this propaganda really what we need on television day after day after day to incite more violence?"

"KSM Trial a Boon to al Qaeda," by John Yoo:

"Trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in civilian court will be an intelligence bonanza for al Qaeda, tie up our courts for years on issues best left to the president and Congress, and further cripple our intelligence agencies' efforts to fight terrorists abroad.

KSM and his co-defendants will have all of the benefits and rights that the U.S. Constitution accords those who live here, most importantly the right to demand that the government produce in open court all of the information that it has on them, and how it was obtained."