In the Mind of a Terrorist: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

On March 15, 2007, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed declared to authorities at a Guantanamo Bay prison facility that he alone planned the terrorist attacks of September 11 and that he also killed Wall Street Journal Reporter, Daniel Pearl in Karachi, Pakistan. In addition to this confession, he also told of intentions to destroy about 31 other targets, including Presidents Clinton and Carter, Pope John Paul II, an attempted shoe bombing by Richard Reid, and many airlines and buildings important to the United States.

Why would he confess his involvement now, four years after his arrest in March 2003 in Rawalpindi, near the capital of Pakistan? During his arrest in 2003, authorities found a letter to Mohammed, also known as KSM, supposedly written by Osama bin Laden. Although the letter and KSM's limited knowledge gave no information as to bin Laden's whereabouts, the letter was evidence of an important relationship: KSM played an integral role in the terrorist plots lead by Osama bin Laden. In 2006, the United States government declared that Mohammed had been taken to a secret prison at Guantanamo Bay.

Maybe, after being one of the FBI's 22 Most Wanted Terrorists, and sitting silently in a prison for four years, KSM has decided that he deserves his 15 minutes of fame; his time in the spotlight. After all, Osama bin Laden and his principal assistant, al-Zawahri, are well known throughout the world. Maybe the Kuwaiti member of Osama's terrorist organization has intentions of taking the focus away from bin Laden and his troops to deter authorities in their search for these terrorists. Whatever his reasons, many agree that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has without doubt written his own death sentence with this confession. In the event that a federal judge believes that Mohammed's testimony is authentic-that is, that he was not intimidated by immoral interrogation tactics-he is sure to be sentenced to death.

Mohammed's capture was an enormous step forward in the disintegration of bin Laden's terrorist group, yet information Mohammed has professed has not given rise to the whereabouts of any important leaders in the terrorist ring. Now, four years later, any information that may come from Mohammed so late after his arrest would be obsolete to say the least. There are sure to have been changes in the terrorist group's plans, information, and even participants since Mohammed has been sitting in his prison cell. Any information KSM states is taken with his possible distorted perceptions in mind-hatred he holds on to, a need for public observation, and perhaps even thoughts that are embellished to make himself seem more important in the terrorists' world.

Whatever his reasons for coming forth with this information, a judge will now determine Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's future. Will he be put to death? Will he be sentenced to life in prison, in case he 'remembers' more information? Time will tell.

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Information based on current general public knowledge and this writer's view of most recent news stories.

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