- Panelists on Fox News’ “Outnumbered” blasted the Biden administration over reports of plea-bargain negotiations with senior al-Qaida figures held at Guantanamo Bay.
- The negotiations with the five figures currently facing charges at a military tribunal could take the death penalty off the table.
- “[T]his is screaming to the world about the potential weakness of the greatest nation in the world,” Liliana Gil Valetta said.
Panelists on Fox News Channel’s “Outnumbered” blasted the Biden administration Monday over reports of potential plea bargains for high-ranking al-Qaida leaders.
“It’s not justice. None of this has been, frankly. Almost ten years after the arraignment, 21 years after this unspeakable tragedy, and we have yet to have a trial date set?” co-host Emily Compagno asked. “It’s been a perfect storm of legal mumbo-jumbo … the pretrial proceedings have been really huge in this case, with a lot of detailing and centering around the alleged use of torture to extract evidence from these prisoners and their treatment, as well as massive Covid restrictions at Guantanamo Bay, so it set things back, including the judge at the time abruptly retiring and leaving service … One thing after another.” (RELATED: ‘It Is Disturbing’: Gen. Jack Keane Says Leaving Taliban In Control of Afghanistan ‘Looms Heavy’ Over 9/11 Anniversary)
The federal government reportedly entered “good faith” negotiations with five senior leaders of the terrorist group, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attack in which hijacked airliners were flown into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, on a possible plea bargain that could take the death penalty off the table, according to CBS News. The talks, which began in March according to the New York Times, come after a years-long legal battle marked by delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic but have been criticized by relatives of those killed on 9/11.
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“This is not a partisan issue, it’s an American issue, and that horrific day — I walked the streets of New York that week right after 9/11. Those are memories that will forever be in my mind,” Liliana Gil Valetta said. “I did not lose anybody. My relatives made it. However, this is screaming to the world about the potential weakness of the greatest nation in the world. So what message does this send?”
“Of course it is tragic for the families, it is painful. There is nothing that is going to bring their relatives back,” Valetta continued. “But at a moment where we have had some missteps in the global stage — right? Afghanistan, check. Here we go. Potentially letting these guys go, or to have a bargaining deal so they don’t face the death penalty for killing 3,000 Americans, that puts everything in question.”
Another panelist raised questions centered on recent rhetoric by President Joe Biden targeting supporters of former President Donald Trump.
“I know I can’t speak for every military family out there, but I will speak for mine. I’m truly sorry to all of them that we as a sovereign nation can’t continue to act like one. That’s the second time this hour that I have said that,” Harris Faulkner said. “It’s about the border, it’s about this issue. If we don’t know what justice looks like when Americans are killed, are we then — you put it so beautifully, Lili — are we then really a sovereign nation? Do we really love the citizens of this great nation? We have a president who hates at least half of them. How do we know? Because he keeps telling us.”
“So what about those military families? The families whose children went to war because of what happened, who willingly went and gave their lives, after we were hit? They will never be the same,” Faulkner continued. “Those families who lost their children, and those men and women who are forever damaged from serving in that war. What do we say to them when we say we will make a deal for these guys who took more than 3,000 lives of Americans in this country? On American soil? What do we say to those military families? We gave up? We got tired? We like liberalism in our justice system better than we love you? I’m dying to know.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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