Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille is less than thrilled about the prospect of another big terrorism trial in his backyard.
Riduan “Hambali” Isamuddin isn’t a household name yet, but the accused terrorist will stand trial for the 2002 Bali nightclub bombing that killed more than 200 people.
The Justice Department is now considering the alleged Al Qaeda leader from Guantanamo to Alexandria.
Officials had considered Washington. However, security experts say Washington’s detention center isn’t equipped to hold him.
Alexandria hosted the sentencing trial of convicted Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui in 2006. The case brought with a wealth of security that nearly froze the lives of the residents in the northern Va. city for seven weeks.
With the Moussaoui trial still fresh in many minds, Mayor Euille told the WashingtonExaminer.com that he expects the Hambali trial to be even more intense than the Moussaoui trial.
"The city's opposed to having any terrorist tried in our city," the mayor told the WashingtonExaminer. "It's not about what we'll be known as but protecting the quality of life of our residents."
Brian Deegan, an Australian lawyer whose son was killed in the Bali bombing, told the Associated Press on Saturday that trying Hambali in the United States could jeopardize his chance of being convicted.
"In normal circumstances, the trial should take place in the country where the crime was committed and ... even though I would welcome him being placed upon trial, it just seems to me to be awkward and perhaps opening up a can of worms and a can of defenses if the Americans try him in America," Deegan told the AP.
A man who survived the Bali bombings welcomes the trial of Hambali in Alexandria, Va. or Washington.
Justice officials have yet to make a final decision on the location of trial.
