Tens of Thousands Sign Petition Urging Holder To Move KSM Trial From New York

Update: As of Monday morning, January 11, the petition has garnered more than 60,000 signatures, including those of conservative author Ann Coulter and former New York Gov. George Pataki (R), the petition's organizers said.

(CNSNews.com) – More than 60,000 people (new number), including members of Congress and three former presidential candidates, have signed a petition calling on Attorney General Eric Holder to move the trial of Khalid Shiekh Mohammed (or KSM) from New York City to a military tribunal.

The petition, launched Jan. 6 and sponsored by the conservative publications Human Events and RedState.com, calls on Holder to move the trials of Mohammed and four other al Qaeda terrorists from federal court in New York and return them to the military tribunal system.

Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, had previously indicated he wanted to plead guilty before a military tribunal. Since being transferred to civilian court, his lawyer has said Mohammed will plead not guilty. The petition says that there is “no reason” to try Mohammed and his four co-conspirators in federal court.

“We, the editors of HUMAN EVENTS, RedState.com, and the many Americans who have attached our names to this petition hereby request that you try al-Qaeda's confessed 9/11 terrorist mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his four al-Qaeda cohorts, in a military tribunal, reversing your precedent-changing decision to try them in a civilian court in New York City,” the petition reads.

“There is no reason, much less a requirement, under U.S. constitutional or statutory law to grant KSM and the others the right to a trial in civilian courts, nor to offer them any of the corresponding constitutional rights afforded U.S. citizens.”

GO HERE to read more.