| President Bush has for the first time acknowledged | | | | community believes that al-Qaida and its allies would |
| the existence of secret CIA prisons holding top | | | | have succeeded in launching another attack against |
| terror suspects and is asking Congress to approve | | | | the American homeland." |
| the creation of military commissions to put them on | | | | With the last of the current CIA prisoners turned |
| trial. A total of 14 terror suspects have now been | | | | over to the Defense Department, the president |
| transferred to the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo | | | | wants 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, who | | | | commissions 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 an | | | | for those accused," he added. "The procedures in the |
| alleged emissary between al-Qaida leader Osama bin | | | | bill I am sending to Congress today reflect the reality |
| Laden and many of his terrorist cells and Ramzi | | | | that we are a nation at war, and it is essential that |
| Binalshibh, who is thought to have been trained as | | | | we use all reliable evidence to bring these people to |
| one of the hijackers in the terrorist attacks of | | | | justice." |
| September 11, 2001. | | | | The U.S. Supreme Court this year ruled that military |
| Senior Bush administration officials say there are now | | | | commissions are an appropriate venue for trying |
| no suspects in CIA detention though they intend to | | | | suspected terrorists, but they must be specifically |
| continue that parallel program as they say CIA | | | | authorized by Congress. |
| interrogations have produced more than half of what | | | | President 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-secret | | | | transfer of the CIA detainees. He says those |
| CIA prisons, President Bush told a gathering at the | | | | prisoners will now have access to the Red Cross, |
| White House that the program has saved countless | | | | legal 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 the | | | | The announcement came as part of a series of |
| most vital tools in our war against the terrorists," said | | | | speeches 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 intelligence | | | | the September 11th attacks. |