Sept. 11 suspects want to plead guilty; face execution

In this photograph of a sketch by courtroom artist Janet Hamlin, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed attends his arraignment at the U.S. Military Commissions, at Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base, in Cuba, Thursday, June 5, 2008. (AP / Janet Hamlin)

Text:

The Associated Press
Published Monday, December 8, 2008 11:59AM EST

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - Five men charged with plotting the Sept. 11 attacks have told a U.S. military judge that they want to immediately confess at their war-crimes tribunal.

The confessions seem likely to result in guilty pleas at the trial at the U.S. military prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

All five face possible execution if convicted.

They say they decided to abandon all efforts to defend themselves on Nov. 4, the day Barack Obama was elected to the White House.

Observers say it's as if they want to rush toward convictions before Obama takes office.

The president-elect has vowed to end the war-crimes trials and close the Guantanamo prison camp.