Former Director of Navy's Anti-Terrorism Unit Makes Case for Federal Prosecutions

MEDIA, PA - Following an appearance on Fox News Channel to discuss the federal prosecution of terror suspects, radio host Rush Limbaugh attacked former 3-star Navy Admiral and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Congressman Joe Sestak as a "dangerous left wing radical ideologue."
 
Watch the full clip here:
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200911130018
 
"Rush Limbaugh's attacks on a Veteran for supporting our American values shows a lack of understanding and respect for the very people who serve our country to defend those values," the campaign said. "Instead of helping to bring about justice for the families who lost loved ones on 9/11, too many on the right seem interested in politicizing the issue of prosecuting terror suspects."
 
Joe Sestak voiced his support for the Administration as part of his continuing call to close the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Attorney General Holder announced that five high-value Al Qaeda suspects --including the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed-- will be tried in federal court, rather than be held indefinitely or tried via military commission.  Current legal procedures are in place to ensure that sensitive information used to support our national security efforts are kept private.
 
"As an Admiral, I led this Nation's fighting men and women into harm's way in defense of the United States -- in defense not only of American citizens, but of the beliefs that we hold dear and that define us as a nation, Joe" said in his statement on Friday.  "I have watched the legal black hole at Gitmo erode our moral standing in the world -- weakening our hand in diplomacy in all corners of the world and providing Al Qaeda and other extremists propaganda for a new generation of terror. The last thing we should do is allow these terrorists to cause us to abandon our American principles."

Americans Still Waiting for Prosecutions*:

Nearly 800 detainees have been held in Guantánamo, the vast majority without charge or trial

Approximately 250 detainees were still held in December 2008

Federal courts have convicted 195 terrorists since 2001 in contrast to three convictions by military commissions

*Amnesty International USA

Instead of standing by quietly, Joe Sestak stepped forward to support the prosecution of these terrorists.  First he debated with former New York Republican Governor George Pataki on CNN.  Then he went up against Bill O'Reilly on Fox News Channel.  Watch the videos below: