Negative New York story - White House backs down on New York terror trial

New York

THE trial of the confessed mastermind of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the US will not go ahead in New York as planned, after the Obama administration bowed to pressure to move it.

But the White House is firm on another key plank of its policy for trying accused terrorists: it still wants Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four of his co-conspirators to face a civilian court.

Despite pressure from Republican Party critics and even fellow Democrats, President Barack Obama is resisting calls for a return to George Bush's policy of military tribunals.

When a lower Manhattan court was announced in November as the location for Khalid's trial, independent New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared it was "fitting" Khalid and his fellow accused terrorists should be tried just blocks away from the World Trade Centre site where so many citizens were murdered in 2001.

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A change of heart by Mr Bloomberg over the past few weeks has done most to force a rethink in the White House.

Mr Bloomberg now accepts that a lengthy trial in lower Manhattan, close to the financial district, would pose a security risk, cost too much and cause severe disruption to the city. Concerns have been gathering steam for weeks since New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly laid out the logistics of security to local politicians and business groups, and made it clear the trial markedly increased lower Manhattan's risk as a terrorist target.

The police chief's audience appears to have blanched at the prospect of constant police lockdowns, car searches, dog patrols and rooftop snipers.

One estimate of the cost of security and disruption was as high as $US200 million ($226.2m) a year for a trial that could last several years.

Mr Bloomberg remained behind the New York trial until last week, when he met a group of federal judges and one raised the issue of security.

After giving an assurance the area could be made safe, the Mayor reportedly changed his mind the next day, leaving the Obama administration without its strongest advocate.

A White House spokesman was quoted as saying: "I can acknowledge the obvious. We're considering other options."

The decision on an alternative is being left up to Mr Obama's Attorney-General, Eric Holder, who announced the New York location in November. At the time, Mr Holder said he opted to proceed in a civilian court in New York with full confidence that the case against the alleged conspirators would succeed.

Other sites being considered include the Stewart Air National Guard Base, north of New York City, and a federal jail at Otisville, lying 110km northwest of the city.

Another possibility is the disused prison in Mr Obama's home state of Illinois where his administration proposes housing remaining detainees of the Guantanamo Bay jail, in Cuba.

Mr Bloomberg was initially enthusiastic about a New York trial despite his Republican predecessor, Rudi Giuliani, who was mayor at the time of the attacks, leading a campaign against it.

Mr Giuliani had said Khalid and others should be treated as war criminals in a military court after they "declared war on us".

The Obama administration faces a further test over the next few weeks as two Republican congressmen promote legislation that seeks to block the financing of civilian trials for alleged terrorists.

Mr Holder has also received a letter from six senators calling for a return to the Bush administration's policy of using military commissions for terrorist suspects.

Mr Holder argues that civilian trials have legitimacy that military tribunals lack, especially after previous Supreme Court rulings.