Al Qaeda leaders may face prosecution: Negroponte

By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Suspected senior al Qaeda leaders in
U.S. captivity may be put on trial eventually but for now they
are too valuable as sources of intelligence, U.S. intelligence
chief John Negroponte said on Thursday.

“They have provided some valuable intelligence information
with respect to the war on terror,” Negroponte said at a
National Press Club lunch.

“I can’t overstate the importance of that information in
the prosecution of the war on terror, and we believe it would
certainly be a mistake to turn these people loose while the war
on terror is going on,” he added.

“Surely, at some point, it may prove desirable that they be
brought to prosecution, to face justice. But that is something
that I think will have to be decided in the future,” Negroponte
said.

Negroponte, who became the first U.S. director of national
intelligence a year ago Thursday as a result of post-September
11 reforms, said U.S. success at capturing or killing senior al
Qaeda operatives has diminished the ability of Osama bin
Laden’s network to operate effectively.

“His high command is not nearly what it used to be,” said
the intelligence chief, a career diplomat who began his current
job after serving nine months as U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

About 490 foreign terrorism suspects are being held at a
prison at the U.S. Naval base at Guantanamo Bay on Cuba and
about three dozen others considered to be former principal
lieutenants and deputies of bin Laden are at other undisclosed
locations, U.S. officials have said.

A Washington Post report last November that former top al
Qaeda leaders were held at secret CIA prisons in Eastern Europe
sparked outrage among Europeans and prompted several
investigations which failed to produce definitive evidence.

Negroponte gave no clues as to what form any trial of the
former al Qaeda leaders might take.

September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui is currently on
trial for his life in federal criminal court in Virginia but
suspects at Guantanamo Bay face possible prosecution under a
special system of U.S. military tribunals.

The tribunals, formally known as commissions, have been
challenged before the Supreme Court. A high court ruling is
expected in June or July.

Only 10 of the Guantanamo Bay detainees have been charged
with crimes.