Kind of swamped on Danger Room stuff today, so I figured I’d keep these going to feed the beast. Geneve Mantri, Amnesty International USA:

“The bottom line is that Ahmed Ghailani was convicted and faces at least 20 years to life in prison with no chance at parole. He was tried in an open, fair and transparent process, there were no disruptions, there were no security leaks and not a single threat to public safety.

“The current climate of fear-mongering by politicians including Congressman Peter King, (R-NY), does not lead to justice for any victim of terrorism. While this case was complicated by the legacy of torture, ultimately all issues were dealt with by an ordinary American jury and a regular federal court. There is no reason why other terrorism suspects cannot be tried in the same manner.”

9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows:

September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows stands behind the decision of the jurors in the case against accused terror suspect Ahmed Ghailani: We believe that justice in this case has been served. We are proud that reliance on the American Constitution and the rule of law gained a conviction that will result in a sentence of 20 years to life imprisonment. We believe this is the only path to justice for those accused of the most egregious crimes, crimes that seek to undermine the American way of life.

Politicians who use this verdict to pad their own resumes by undermining both the efforts of individual jurors involved in this case as well as our system of justice as a whole should be wary of their own assaults on the criminal justice system.

On 9/11/2001 we, as family members of those lost, paid the ultimate price. On November 18th, 2010 we see our nation’s strength renewed.

Jack Goldsmith (in part):

But while the Ghailani verdict does not argue for commissions, it does, I think, highlight the attraction of military detention without trial. Imagine, as now seems quite possible, that Ghailani had been acquitted. The administration would have faced the terrible choice between releasing him or (as both the Attorney General and Judge Kaplan have said is possible) continuing to hold him in military detention indefinitely. The first option is unsafe for the nation and suicidal politically. The second option looks terrible in light of acquittal, and would harm the legitimacy of every subsequent terrorist trial. The reason the first option is unsafe and the second option is available is that Ghailani helped conduct a major terrorist operation on behalf of a group with which we are at war. Military detention was designed precisely to prevent such soldiers from returning to the battlefield. It is a tradition-sanctioned, congressionally authorized, court-blessed, resource-saving, security-preserving, easier-than-trial option for long-term terrorist incapacitation. And this morning it looks more appealing than ever.