Broad security measures are in consideration by a U.S. judge for the military tribunal that will sentence the five prisoners charged in connection with the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
Proceedings began Saturday at a Guantánamo military tribunal. The opening tribunal resulted in no defendant's submission of a plea. Delays were acknowledge as likely by the judge prior to the trial's tentative May 2013 date.
Possible protections from security breaches could include barring the accused from publicly discussing their treatment while in custody at overseas CIA prisons, reports the Associated Press.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a motion against this possible judicial order on May 2. The motion stated that the censorship was founded on "a chillingly Orwellian claim" reported the Miami Herald. The Herald also reported First Amendment lawyer David Schulz's urging of the release of "substantial probability" of harm to national security in his objection motion filed May 16.
If the protective order stands it will require the use of a 40-second delay of court proceedings recordings to censor sensitive information. Spectators of the trial will be seated behind sound-proof glass, and therefore unable to hear any parts of trial prior to censorship.
The residing judge must decide whether the order will stand or not prior to any further development of the trial reports the Associated Press.
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