9/11 Trial location

As the date for self-declared 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and his accomplices' trial approaches, controversy is stirring over the appropriate place to hold the proceedings. The trials can affect Lower Manhattan economically and socially.

The Obama administration decided to try the case in civilian courts, rather than a military tribunal and last November selected the courtrooms of Lower Manhattan as the best place for the trials. This decision was met with resistance from both residents and local politicians who are worried how the multi-year trials will affect life Downtown.

Community Board 1, an organization responsible for overseeing major projects in Lower Manhattan, has been one of the most vocal groups about the issue. They are concerned about the huge costs involved in providing security for the trials and who will end up paying the bill.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has estimated that it will cost more than $200 million a year to provide security for the trials, which includes hiring personnel and buying security equipment.

Julie Menin, chairwoman for Community Board 1, thinks spending this much money on the trials when New York State is already in a budget crisis is unthinkable, "The new cost estimates by the New York Police Department (NYPD) for security of over $200 million a year suggest the Lower Manhattan courthouse is inherently not safe. In this economic recession, to spend close to $1 billion on security for a multi-year trial makes no sense," Menin told Gothamist.com. She proposes that the trials be held on Governor's Island.

The economy of the Downtown community is expected to suffer, as well, as a result of the trials. As part of security measures, there will be permanent street closures throughout the area. These will make it very difficult to access many of the small businesses in this area and drastically decrease the amount of foot traffic around these stores and restaurants. After making a slow recovery from the 9/11 attacks, business owners are understandably worried about potentially closing their stores and how many jobs will be lost as a result.

The street closures will also make navigating the area very difficult. Students may have difficulty getting to the campus from the 55 John St. or 106 Fulton St. dorms and commuters would have even more obstacles to confront just to make it to class on time.

When streets in the area were recently closed because of falling debris from the Beekman Tower on Jan. 25, the University was only able to allow students into the building through the parking lot and students had to walk blocks out of their way just to make it to the campus. This inconvenience could become an everyday reality if the trials are held in Lower Manhattan.

Sophomore Annamaria Santamaria, who commutes from Queens, said she would look into transferring if street closures and increased security lengthened her commute. "I feel like once you are used to coming out of the train station and walking ten feet to school it would be hard. You want things to stay easy," Santamaria said.

Other students are less concerned about getting to classes and more worried about the general safety of the area if the trials are held here. Many community leaders have expressed concerns that holding the trials in Lower Manhattan will expose the area to more terror threats or even attacks.

This fear seems to be justified considering reports have just come out from intelligence officials warning citizens that Al Qaeda will most likely make another attempted attack on the United States in the next six months.

Junior Caity Grand said, "People will be scared to come down here. It just opens us up for another attack." Even with increased security, the 140,000 residents of the Downtown area are still understandably worried about safety.

The University wants all students to feel safe on campus, but there are concerns about the security of our buildings. Although we do have 24 hour security in the main building, anyone can enter through the front entrance and walk nearly 50 yards without having to produce an I.D. card.

Currently, students and faculty do not have to show their I.D. until just before the elevators and kiosk on the first floor. "This must be the only building in New York where you can walk this far into the heart of the building before being asked for I.D. You could be a terrorist with a backpack," one security guard was overheard telling a colleague.

The University has no position on whether the trial should be held in Lower Manhattan. Frank P. McDonald, Associate Vice President for General Services of the University who supervises campus security, among other things and is a former high-ranking officer of the New York Police Department said,"Pace's security management officials all belong to SHIELD, a public/private security partnership sponsored by the New York Police Department that holds regular meetings to discuss emergency preparedness.

"A recent meeting was held to deal with the forthcoming terrorist trial and more meetings are planned. Needless to say a comprehensive security plan is being developed by the NYPD, and Pace would use appropriate parts of the enhanced security plan it already has in place, which among other things includes monitoring the University's security cameras," McDonald said.

If the trials are held in Lower Manhattan, the University, in addition to the entire Downtown community, will need to rethink their security plans to ensure the safety of residents and visitors to the area.

The Obama administration is still trying to finalize plans for where the 9/11 trials will be held. With recent protests from both Mayor Bloomberg and Governor David Paterson, it seems that the administration is now leaning away from the Lower Manhattan location and considering holding the trials in the Bronx, White Plains, Otisville or Newburgh, NY. They have emphasized that having the trials in Lower Manhattan has not been completely ruled out.