Tonight:
5°c
Todays's decision that the key plotters behind the 9/11 attacks should face trial in a public court is not only a symbolic and poignant moment for the city's residents but could prove to be a significant step in the battle to combat Islamic extremism.
The immediate effect of the move to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his fellow conspirators in a federal court in New York will be to allow the city's residents to see at first hand the men accused of inflicting such carnage upon them.
The longer-term impact however, could be even more important. After years in which the reputation of the US and its allies has been tarnished by Guantanamo Bay, the fact that justice will now be done in a transparent manner could help to combat the problem of extremism being fuelled by allegations of Western mistreatment of Muslims.
Many counter-terrorist experts believe that countering such claims is essential if the threat of Islamic extremism is to be reduced.
Western leaders will hope that this trial — and the closure of Guantanamo Bay — will go some way towards reducing the threat of terrorism.
