A US military judge at the detention center in Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba, says the five men accused of plotting the September 11th, 2001,
terrorist attacks have asked to plead guilty.
Judge Stephen Henley (Monday) read a note from the defendants, including
alleged September 11th mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, asking for "an
immediate hearing session to announce our confessions."
The judge then individually questioned the five defendants, who are
representing themselves, to confirm they wanted to withdraw all pending motions
and enter guilty pleas. They said they decided to confess on November 4th, the
day Barack Obama was elected to the presidency.
Mr. Obama has said he wants to close the controversial Guantanamo facility
after taking office next month and try the detainees in regular US
civilian or military courts instead of the special tribunal.
Mohammed has previously told the court he wants to be executed so he can become
a martyr.