Posts Tagged ‘9-11 Terrorist Trials’

Sept. 11 Terror Suspects to be Tried in NYC

Sunday, November 15th, 2009
00 p.m.

September 14, 2001, 6:00 p.m.

Much has been written about the Obama administration’s decision to bring 9/11 terrorist suspects held in Guantanamo to New York for trial, particularly as regards the threats to the City’s security. Even worse is the threat to the rule of law in the United States, as the Obama administration increasingly exercises its discretion in procedural matters. While the Administration believes that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed should be brought from Guantanamo to New York for trial, the Guantanamo detainees charged with planning the 2000 bombing of the U.S.S. Cole would face trials by military commission. It is troubling that the Obama administration is politicizing a fundamental issue of law and venue for its own purposes. Now consider the consequence of this decision for Lower Manhattan small businesses. We can look forward to years of disruption while this trial drags on.  With the never-ending delays caused by political interference in the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site, we are often navigating a pedestrian obstacle course in Lower Manhattan.  Add to that a civilian trial against Muslim terrorists and we can look forward to more rooftop snipers, truck bomb barricades and pedestrians walking single file on blocked sidewalks. Plus we will have the expense of police overtime at a time when the City’s coffers are drained by the recession and the Wall Street meltdown. Lower Manhattan small businesses are battle-weary.

We are still living with 9-11 owing to the painstakingly slow reconstruction process. And the major Wall Street banks that captured the corporate welfare in post-9/11 aid blew up our financial system in 2008, with devastating consequences for the local small business ecosystem. Merrill Lynch and Lehman no longer exist and “survivors”, such as AIG, have fewer employees. As a result, the restaurants, shops and other small businesses of Lower Manhattan are suffering. The Administration appears remarkably indifferent to the consequences of its decision for open access to Lower Manhattan small businesses once the 9/11 trials begin. This is gratuitous abuse.

I took this photograph, by the way, on September 14, 2001 when I was staying on the New Jersey waterfront after being evacuated from my home on 9-11-01. This photograph shows the U.S.N.S. Comfort, a hospital ship of the U.S. Navy, sailing up the Hudson River to provide additional support for victims to be recovered from the WTC site. Sadly, the ship’s hospital facilities remained unused as few survivors were found.