Top Terror Suspects Transferred to Guantanamo

President Bush has for the first time acknowledgedcommunity believes that al-Qaida and its allies would
the existence of secret CIA prisons holding tophave succeeded in launching another attack against
terror suspects and is asking Congress to approvethe American homeland."
the creation of military commissions to put them onWith the last of the current CIA prisoners turned
trial. A total of 14 terror suspects have now beenover to the Defense Department, the president
transferred to the U.S. naval base in Guantanamowants Congress to authorize military commissions to
Bay, Cuba.put them on trial.
President Bush says one of the suspects transferred"We put forward a bill that ensures these
to Guantanamo Bay is Khalid Sheik Mohammed, whocommissions are established in a way that protects
was number three in al-Qaida's command.our national security and ensures a full and fair trial
Other suspects include Abu Zubaydah, who was anfor those accused," he added. "The procedures in the
alleged emissary between al-Qaida leader Osama binbill I am sending to Congress today reflect the reality
Laden and many of his terrorist cells and Ramzithat we are a nation at war, and it is essential that
Binalshibh, who is thought to have been trained aswe use all reliable evidence to bring these people to
one of the hijackers in the terrorist attacks ofjustice."
September 11, 2001.The U.S. Supreme Court this year ruled that military
Senior Bush administration officials say there are nowcommissions are an appropriate venue for trying
no suspects in CIA detention though they intend tosuspected terrorists, but they must be specifically
continue that parallel program as they say CIAauthorized by Congress.
interrogations have produced more than half of whatPresident Bush says he has notified the International
U.S. officials know about al-Qaida.Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) about the
In his first public admission of the previously-secrettransfer of the CIA detainees. He says those
CIA prisons, President Bush told a gathering at theprisoners will now have access to the Red Cross,
White House that the program has saved countlesslegal counsel and medical attention and facilities for
lives by disrupting terrorist plots.religious worship provided at Guantanamo Bay.
"This program has been and remains one of theThe announcement came as part of a series of
most vital tools in our war against the terrorists," saidspeeches President Bush is giving about the fight
Mr. Bush. "It is invaluable to America and to our allies.against terrorism ahead of the fifth anniversary of
Were it not for this program, our intelligencethe September 11th attacks.