Friday, June 20, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama's comments on terrorism prosecutions ["Candidates Clash on Terrorism," front page, June 18] have particular resonance for me, because I have observed military commission proceedings, including yesterday's, at Guantanamo Bay.

This week's visit is my third trip to Guantanamo, and I have yet to see a hearing run smoothly. The military commission system is mired in controversy and is moving at a snail's pace. Since the first prisoners arrived six years ago, the government has charged just 20 men and obtained only one verdict, a conviction.

Mr. Obama is correct: The 1993 World Trade Center bombing case proves that the criminal justice system can handle terrorism prosecutions, and that case is only one of many examples of that capability.

A recent Human Rights First report examined 123 terrorism cases prosecuted in federal courts and found that the system successfully balances the need to protect classified evidence with defendants' right to fair trials. Criminal prosecutions help, not impede, the fight against terrorism. If the Guantanamo Bay detention center is closed, the cases that can be tried should be transferred to federal courts.

DEBORAH COLSON

Senior Associate

Human Rights First

New York