Face to face with evil: 9/11 family member tells of close encounter with Gitmo terrorists

From the New York Daily News:

By Lorraine Arias-Beliveau

Sunday, February 1st 2009, 4:00 AM

 Janet Hamlin/AP

9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed (in long beard) at his Jan. 19 hearing in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

My brother was killed in the World Trade Center on 9/11. I have been waiting for justice ever since. Last month, I went to Guantanamo Bay to try to find it.

What I witnessed was shocking. I saw a place where prisoners toy with the authorities, read the newspaper and get one hour breaks for prayer. I saw a place where detainees are treated far better than many ordinary American criminal defendants - and, as far as I'm concerned, far better than they deserve.

I looked straight into the eyes of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the man who masterminded the attacks that killed my brother and almost 3,000 other Americans. I was there whenPresident Obama was inaugurated - and, soon thereafter, when he called a four-month halt to the criminal trials that were just getting underway.

I left with a deep fear that some day the men we now hold in custody will be free to inspire others who hate - if not to continue to kill innocent people themselves.

My presence at Guantanamo was rare. My brothers were chosen by lottery to be among the small number of family members able to observe the proceedings there; with their one remaining slot, they invited me. In retrospect, it turns out we may have been among the very last civilians to set eyes on the detention camp as we know it today.

The proceedings began at 9 a.m. on a Monday morning, in a state of the art courtroom. My brothers and I sat behind glass, a curtain separating us from the press. Much of what we watched appeared on two closed circuit TVs, which edited out information that might be classified.

Then the detainees arrived. "Detainees" - it's a mundane word. These were the five co-conspirators of 9/11, all under one roof. Five men who have celebrated the taking of innocent lives by the thousands. They arrived in well-appointed traditional garb - white linen, I presumed. Someone asked, "Where are the orange jumpsuits?"

My focus that morning was on one of the five men. I could hardly believe my eyes when he came into focus: Khalid Shaik Mohammed, the man who boasted of having masterminded the attacks. He sat there in front of us, preening his beard. Did he seem humbled or chastened? Hardly. He looked like, deep inside, he was laughing in our faces.

What we then saw unfold was less of a trial than a farce. Mohammed dismissed his council - only to call them back. He sat there at the table, in front of his personal computer, complaining about something he had read in The Wall Street Journal - holding up the newspaper for the rest of us to see.

Before long, the scene was overwhelmed by a steady stream of what sounded to me like legal minutiae and trivialities. It was sickening. It was surreal.

I will never forget what interrupted that: Khalid Shaikh Mohammed's defense declaring to the court that their client was requesting a cushion because his seat in the van had been too hard. A debate unfolded: the prosecution claimed the cushion had already been provided; the defense insisted he had not received one.

Was this really happening? I went outside for air. My on-base escort followed and asked me what was wrong. "Three thousand people are dead and they are arguing over a cushion," I answered.

Then came a two hour break - one for lunch, the second for the defendants' specially protected hour of prayer.

It wasn't long before the circus resumed. Back at trial, Mohammed burst out with this (according to my notes): "I did it I said I did it! I am proud I did it for jihad!! We say we are guilty just sentence me!"

The words were chilling but something cut even deeper to my core: his gaze. Mohammed turned to make eye contact with us. We stared back.

Before long, court was dismissed, and we were informed that, due to the inauguration of the new President, there would be no hearings the following day.

The following morning we heard the news over CNN: by order of the President, all the proceedings were now on hold. Others were angry that our opportunity to see justice done had been postponed. I shared some of that frustration, but I tried to remain hopeful. I am hopeful that our new government simply wants some time to examine all the issues.

Obama, you must never forget: residing at Guantanamo are confessed architects of 9/11. Please, Mr. President, swiftly fix the system if you must. Then turn to the much more important work of bringing these men and other hardened terrorists to justice - hopefully in military court. These men must never go free.

Arias-Beliveau's youngest brother Adam Arias was killed in Tower 2 of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.