Jim sent this in:

The de facto superstar of ruthless and deadly terrorism, 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, is expected to be transferred from his Guantanamo Bay cell to New York City to stand trial in civilian court, according to a report submitted today to the Terrorism Committee of the National Association of Chiefs of Police.

A top al-Qaeda leader, Khalid was captured in 2003 while in Pakistan. He admitted during a military hearing last December that he intends to plead guilty to all criminal charges. While Khalid openly admits his guilt in planning the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, some security experts are concerned that his attorneys will capitalize on allegations of torture.

“Thanks to groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, intelligence memos were released earlier in 2009 that indicated aggressive interrorgation techniques were used on Kahalid — including the controversial “water-boarding” — which resulted in obtaining valuable intelligence regarding al-Qaeda activities and personnel,” said former NYPD detective and US Marine intelligence officer Sid Franes. 

Some legal experts believe the use of such methods may cause a judge to rule Khalid’s admissions and statements as inadmissible during a jury trial.

US Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to announce that five terrorist suspects, including Khalid, will be transported from the controversial Guantanamo detention center in Cuba to stand trial in federal court. Other terrorism suspects may also be brought to the US for civilian adjudication rather than military justice process created especially for these “enemy combatants.”

President Barack Obama, while in Japan on Friday, claimed that Khalid would face “most exacting demands of justice.”  

When reporters pressed Obama for information on the Khalid transfer, the President stated he did not wish to “pre-empt Mr Holder’s announcement.”

But he did state: “I am absolutely convinced that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will be subject to the most exacting demands of justice. The American people will insist on it. My administration will insist on it.”

Known to intelligence, military and law enforcement officers as a “high priority catch,” Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has been described by Washington insiders as “one of history’s most infamous terrorists.”

The other men expected to be transferred along with Khalid have yet to be identified, but they are believed to part of the terrorist cell that helped plane the 9-11 attacks that killed about 3,000 people.