Obama hasn't ruled out NY trial for 9/11 planner

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version

President Barack Obama says he hasn't ruled out a New York federal court trial for alleged Sept. 11 planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

In a pre-Super Bowl interview with CBS' Katie Couric, Obama said he is, however, taking into account the objections of the city's mayor and police commissioner.

The Obama administration has come under withering attack, mainly from Republicans, for a decision by his Justice Department to try the terrorist mastermind in a U.S. court near Ground Zero.

Obama said using the traditional judicial method is a "virtue of our system" in which Americans should take pride.

He also defended his decision, noting again that the administration of former President George W. Bush had handled
terror suspects arrested in the United States in the same way and got convictions.