Rep Pete Hoekstra on KSM Terror Trial, Fort Hood Shooting.

I just got off the phone from a bloggers conference call with MI Rep Pete Hoekstra, ranking member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, who started off by mentioning that he was among the first in Congress to come out and identify the Fort Hood shooting as a terrorist act, saying there was sufficient evidence that it was a terrorist act by a home grown terrorist right from the get-go. He wants an investigation into how all of the red flags that have come out about Hasan were ignored – (how did he get good performance reviews?) and hinted that what we have heard is “only the tip of the iceberg”.

He stated that the decision to bring KSM to NYC to be tried is an outrageous act. He thinks that this decision is going to follow the same pattern that the decision to close GITMO has followed – which is…much easier said than done.

He mentioned Democratic Senator Jack Reed’s answer when asked, what if KSM is acquitted?: “We would still detain him” – which makes no sense  if we are trying to increase our standing in the world.

He characterizes the trial as “the trial of the century”.

Questions:

Bill Dupray from the Patriot Room wanted to know what possible upside there was to bringing the terrorists to NY.

Hoekstra thought that was an excellent question, and could think of none. There is simply no good reason for it, politically or otherwise for the administration to be choosing this path. He mentions Chuckie Schumer’s request already for 75 million for NYC to hold the trials, right out of the box, it’s a costly enterprise.

Holder has not been able to answer adequately the reason for the decision. Senator Graham asked him if we captured Osama Bin Laden, would we put him on trial, too? Holder was not able to answer the question. (Gateway Pundit has video). These guys are not on firm footing…

Dupray asked if these defendants would receive full constitutional rights, and Hoekstra believed that they would. Asked if Dupray had heard of The John Adams Project. Dupray was not familiar with them. We need to get familiar with them. They’re a far left, anti-American group who are apparently driving much of this. (Michelle Malkin has mentioned them in a post).

Hoekstra also mentioned that there are 3 key provisions in the Patriot Act that are about to expire at the end of the year, (little over a month), and Congress has not acted on them.

Dan Riehl asked if these trials would essentially put our  intelligence apparatus on trial.

Hoekstra: AMEN…He believes KSM, with willing partner, The John Adams Project will use every opportunity to expose our intelligence apparatus, and reminds us that KSM’s first desire when captured was to be put on trial in NYC. By doing so, we will be putting him on the biggest stage in the world.

He believes a great idea for an oped in the WSJ is the question WHY?

That would seem to be the $64,000 question. (A theory, here).

As for GITMO detainees coming to American soil, he advises the American people to ask the “most transparent administration in history” to declassify their record so we can see for ourselves how dangerous they are.

Blogger Bill Barr wanted an assessment of the threat we face.

Hoekstra: America is target rich. Again advises Americans – give us the info Hoekstra has. Most americans when they see that info will understand why Bush kept them in gitmo.

Hoekstra also mentioned that he is retiring from Congress and running for Governor of Michigan. He will be missed in Congress. But it is Michigan’s gain.

Bill at The Patriot Room has already posted the audio from the call.

Editor’s note:

Yes, I’m having keyboard issues. I’ve been going back and correcting typos as I see them. Sorry for the inconvenience.