Accused 9/11 terrorists face arraignment

(WXYZ) - On Saturday, a military judge will arraign the alleged terrorist behind the September 11 attacks and four other men.

It comes more than ten years after the day that changed our nation, and not everyone likes how it is being done.

“This is a risky way to take care of these trials, these important trials,” said Former Judge Advocate General Don Guter during an interview with CNN.

He says he felt the Pentagon shake on 9/11.  He later learned a member of his staff was on a plane that hit the building.

He doesn’t like the idea of giving the man believed to have been a mastermind behind the terrorism the stage in court.

“I've had conversations with other people that think the circus is going to begin with the first appearance,” said Guter.

The arraignment comes so long after the attacks in part because of the debate over how justice should be served. 

The self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and his 4 co-defendants are to be arraigned at a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay Saturday.  The  charges  include 2,976 counts of murder, one for each person killed in the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil

New rules are in in place that forbid the use of testimony through torture.  The defendants spent time in secret CIA prisons overseas where they were interrogated.  During interrogation Mohammed was waterboarded as many as 183 times.

The government plans to use a 40-second delay and a white noise machine to make sure classified information isn’t heard by specators.

The ACLU is challenging this, calling for an open trial.

Six family members of victims will be at the proceedings.  They won the opportunity in a lottery.  Others will be allowed to watch on closed-circuit video at military bases.

 Many feel they have waited too long for this day.

“It has to be the death penalty,” aid Chris Russell.

His brother Stephen was a firefighter killed in New York City during the attacks.

He and his sister told CNN they hope a guilty verdict and the death penalty will bring them closure.

 “It lingers the back of your head that these people are still alive,” said Christina Russell.