“We don’t want to waste time.” Seeking martyrdom.
“Top 9/11 suspects to plead guilty,” from the BBC, December 8 (thanks to Jed):
Alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four co-defendants have told a military judge at Guantanamo Bay they want to confess and plead guilty.
The judge at the pre-trial hearing, Col Stephen Henley, said he would question the men to ensure that was their wish.
Mr Mohammed had earlier said he wished to be executed and achieve martyrdom, but had still mounted a defence.
The five accused face the death penalty if convicted of a role in killing 2,973 people in the suicide plane attacks.
No date has been set for the five men’s full military tribunal, and their appearance in court on Monday followed hearings held under a judge who resigned last month….
“We all five have reached an agreement to request from the commission an immediate hearing session in order to announce our confessions… with our earnest desire in this regard without being under any kind of pressure, threat, intimidations or promise from any party,” Col Stephen Henley told the court.
When asked by the judge if he was prepared to enter a plea of guilty to all the charges should he be allowed to withdraw their motions, Mr Mohammed said “yes”.
“We don’t want to waste time,” he added, according to the AFP news agency…..
At a previous hearing in June, when informed that he faced the death penalty, Mr Mohammed said he had been looking to “be a martyr for long time”.
“This is what I want,” he stated.
