Poll: Americans don't want 9/11 trials in NYC or any court

Poll: Americans don't want 9/11 terror trials in New York - or any court

BY Richard Sisk and Thomas M. Defrank
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
Thursday, February 11th 2010

A majority of Americans agree with New Yorkers who don't want suspected Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Shekh Mohammed tried in the city due to security concerns, according to a new poll.

WASHINGTON - It's not just New Yorkers who don't want terror thugs tried in their backyard.

A majority of Americans also disagree with President Obama's plan to try 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed in civilian courts, a Quinnipiac University poll found.

By a 59% to 35% margin, voters prefer that Mohammed and his cohorts face justice from military tribunals instead of in federal courts.

The poll, released yesterday, also found that 68% believe terror suspects don't deserve the same constitutional protections afforded by a civilian trial. Only 25% believe those safeguards should be extended to alleged terrorists.

"This is the American people speaking up and saying we've had enough of coddling terrorists and treating terrorists as if they are just another form of criminal," Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.) said. "The fact is they are evil."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politic ... z0fHH7tnua