Friday, April 4, 2008

The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers announced last night that the groups are assembling teams of civilian lawyers that could represent the high-value detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in upcoming military commissions there.

The organizations have yet to approach the detainees -- a group that includes Khalid Sheik Mohammed, alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks -- and would need their consent to represent them in trials against charges of terrorism. Military lawyers have been working to find qualified civilian colleagues to represent the men in high-profile trials that could involve potential death sentences.

"These trials should represent who we are, what America stands for, and our commitment to due process," said Anthony D. Romero, the ACLU's executivedirector. "They are not about how civilized the accused are, but how civilized we are."

-- Josh White and Julie Tate