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