9/11 Families Split on New York Trial

Some see it as poetic justice—the plotters of the Sept. 11th attacks brought to justice a few blocks from the site of the Twin Towers they destroyed—and others are outraged that the terrorists will enjoy a jury trial in a court in this country, let alone this city. Families of the 9/11 victims reacted emotionally, but not with unanimity to the news that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the professed mastermind of the attacks, and four others will be tried in federal court in New York.

"Why do we have to constantly relive this?" one woman who lost a son tells the New York Times. "When do we get to be at peace? They should be hung." Others worry that the defense will get the attack plotters off on a technicality, or that they'll use the trial to grandstand. “We’re giving these monsters a forum to spew their garbage once more," says a man whose daughter died. They’ll make a circus out of it and just play it to the hilt.” But a third wants to be a witness to justice, for his son's sake. "I’ll go wherever I have to go. I want to see these guys convicted.” (More Khalid Sheikh Mohammed stories.)