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Associated PressWhite House aides are increasingly convinced that the professed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will not face trial in a civilian court and are trying to cut a deal that would still transfer Guantanamo Bay terror suspects to the United States, where many would face criminal charges, a senior administration official said Monday.
President Barack Obama is trying to keep a campaign pledge to close the island military prison, which has attracted criticism from Republicans who say it would jeopardize national security. He also has been under fire lately from people within his Democratic Party who say Obama should not accept any deal that would prosecute Mohammed outside the normal judicial system.
A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations, said the most important goals are closing Guantanamo Bay and ensuring that the government can prosecute some detainees in U.S. courts. To do so, the only option may be to abandon the administration's original plan to prosecute the alleged 9/11 conspirators in civilian courts and instead send them before military tribunals.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is seen as key to the deal. During the weekend, the moderate Republican expressed willingness to cut a deal that leads to closing Guantanamo Bay.
"If we could get Khalid Sheik Mohammed and the co-conspirators of 9/11 back in the military commission, it'd go down well with the public," Graham said on CBS's Face the Nation.
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