“I would sacrifice myself to bring attention to what the U.S. military was doing to civilians in Afghanistan,” said Mr. Zazi, reported by the Associate Press. “During the training, al-Qaeda leaders asked us to return to the United States and conduct martydom operation,” he said. “We agreed to this plan.”
The plea comes in a first step toward a deal by the United States government to hold others involved in the case accountable.
“This attack was real, it was in motion and it would have been deadly,” said Attorney General Eric Holder at a press conference.
Republicans have been critical of the Obama administration with handling terror suspects in civilian courts. “The attorney general claims that the plea of Zazi is proof that federal courts can handle the trials of terrorists currently held at Guantanamo Bay, said Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), reported by The Hill. “But comparing the prosecution of Zazi - a legal permanent resident of the U.S. - to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed - who engaged in an act of war against the U.S. by plotting the mass murder of Americans on 9/11 - is misleading at best.”
What are your thoughts? Let us know on Facebook:
