"AIPAC lobbied Congress to block 9/11 trial"
The Guardian
March 19, 2010
Chris McGreal
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, one of Washington's most powerful lobbying groups, has thrown its weight behind legislation to block funding for civilian trials of Guantánamo Bay detainees, in a move that is likely to influence the debate over the future of the alleged September 11 conspirators.
AIPAC has included the issue on the agenda for its annual conference this weekend and will urge its members to press Congress to support a bill that would prevent federal money being used to prosecute Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other detainees in civilian courts.
The decision places AIPAC alongside conservative critics of the Obama administration who argue that Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, should be tried before a military tribunal and not in a federal court a few blocks from where the World Trade Centre stood.
The administration has defended its decision to hold the trial in New York as a demonstration of the strength of the American judicial system. But the city's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, initially a supporter, has withdrawn his backing amid concerns over security costs and the potential for the trial to become a platform for jihadist propaganda.
AIPAC's involvement is significant because of its considerable influence in Congress, particularly among Democrats. The lobby has played a pivotal role in shaping US policy in the Middle East.
AIPAC's decision to take a stand on the issue follows a similar move by other Jewish groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, which has also spoken out against a civilian trial.