FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         CONTACT: Katelyn Gimbel

Monday, February 1, 2010                                                             (703) 739-5920

CFTR LAUDS GRAHAM EFFORT AND UPS THE ANTE

(ALEXANDRIA, Feb. 1) – Citizens for the Republic Chairman Craig Shirley – responding to news reports indicating that Senator Lindsey Graham will tomorrow introduce legislation to block funding for a federal criminal trial in lower Manhattan of Khalid Sheik Mohammed and other alleged 9/11 conspirators – today lauded Graham’s effort to prevent a civilian trial, and called on Graham instead to support more comprehensive legislation mandating that ALL persons designated as “enemy combatants” be prosecuted through military tribunals.

“Sen. Graham’s got the right idea – Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his cohorts shouldn’t be treated as common criminals, tried in the same courts and using the same procedures we use to prosecute stock swindlers or bank robbers,” said Shirley. “These men are alleged to have committed war crimes, and they should be treated as such.

“Sen. Graham’s plan to introduce legislation blocking funding for a civilian criminal trial of Khalid Sheik Mohammed is a good idea, but it doesn’t go far enough,” Shirley continued. “Instead of blocking funding on a case-by-case basis, we should instead enact legislation mandating that anyone designated an ‘enemy combatant’ be prosecuted through military commission.

“Attempting to prevent the Obama Administration from going down the wrong road by blocking funding on a case-by-case basis cedes to the Obama Administration the fundamental point that it’s alright for political variables to determine trial venues,” Shirley continued. “Enacting simple legislation mandating trial by military commission for anyone designated an ‘enemy combatant’ would solve that problem, and take the decision out of the hands of the Obama Justice Department – which, given its history in this area, would be a very wise thing.”