 |
Powell Speaking with Reporters Following Meeting at State Department
with UN Secretary General Discuss Afghanistan 11/28/01 |
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, can you take one more? Mr. Secretary, with the Spanish Prime Minister here today, it seems as if some of the European countries are concerned about military trials, that the suspects would not be guaranteed civil liberties, or perhaps the death penalty. Are you prepared to offer any assurances, and do you see this as an impediment to trying suspected terrorists for crimes?
SECRETARY POWELL: The President has a full range of legal options to deal with those who commit crimes against US citizens. The President has a full range of legal options to deal with terrorists. One of those options includes what has come to be called the military commission option. But that's not the only option he has, and that option has not been exercised against any particular individual.
What President Aznar of Spain said earlier was that he is not in receipt of any requests for extraditing anybody to the United States for prosecution by any kind of tribunal. And if such a request had come to him, he would take it under consideration. And so I don't think it is a problem at the moment.
I know that concerns have been expressed. But I think those concerns can be dealt with as we go forward. So I was quite satisfied with the answer that President Aznar gave at his press conference earlier today.
Embassy
of the Unites States of America
Serrano 75
28006 Madrid, Spain
telephone: 91587-2200
fax: 91587-2303
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