American Civil Liberties Union

As the Obama administration continues to deliberate over a final decision regarding trials for the 9/11 suspects, a group of 9/11 victims’ family members urged President Obama to try Guantánamo detainees in federal criminal courts rather than military commissions.

The September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, a national organization of relatives of victims of the 9/11 attacks, released a video appeal to President Obama, urging him to try Guantánamo detainees in federal criminal courts rather than military commissions.

This week, The New School in New York City will be hosting a conference, on "Limiting Knowledge in a Democracy," which will assess where America is today with respect to limits on our access to information. The two-day conference will explore the issues of citizens’ right to free public information, the ways in which the government and other political organizations restrict or manipulate the flow of information, and the importance of investigative journalism in upholding democracy and calling for accountability.

Today, the Obama administration missed its own deadline to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay. As you might recall, a year ago on his second full day in office, President Obama signed an executive order to close the prison within a year. Not only does Guantánamo remain open, but according to news reports today, an administration task force has recommended the detention without trial of nearly 50 of the 198 prisoners held there because "they are too difficult to prosecute but too dangerous to release."