# OK, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confessed . . . but how much did he really do? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 15, 2007, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022 "2007-03-15T11:56:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/21 "2007-03-15T16:56:15Z")
Here is [a slightly updated report](http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ksm15mar15,0,3709403.story?coll=la-home-headlines) from the Los Angeles Times online. Many of the things Mohammed confessed to were unsuccessful terrorist _attempts_, like the shoe bombing, and the assassination of former US presidents. Apparently he spoke for himself to some degree, but I would hope never to be tried in the manner he has been. As to that, **tagos** makes the point very well. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/22 "2007-03-15T17:08:36Z")
I got a problem believing that the same “master criminal mind” is responsible for things like the embassy bombings, the 9/11 attacks (both very complex, highly orchestrated, and successful attacks) and the Richard Reid gig. Would the same person who looked at Doofus Reid and said to himself “sure, yea, it might work” be able to plan anything more complex than a trip to the store for mayo? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/23 "2007-03-15T17:16:42Z")
[QUOTE=tagos] No - we have a censored Pentagon transcript claiming he’s confessed to these things. [/quote] [Now uncensored](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070315/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_terrorist_confession). > [@](#): > > “I decapitated with my blessed right hand the head of the American Jew, Daniel Pearl, in the city of Karachi, Pakistan,” Mohammed is quoted as saying in a transcript of a military hearing at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, released by the Pentagon. “For those who would like to confirm, there are pictures of me on the Internet holding his head,” he added. > [@tagos](#): > > We have seen no evidence he did any of them, whether he confessed to them or not. I’m looking at the video right now. From a layman’s/juror’s perspective it does look a lot like Mohammed. As I said, we have ample opportunity to apply rules of evidence. A crime such as this, if appropriately adjudicated, warrants a death penalty. Accordingly he will be a martyr no matter how much you want to beat your breast about torture and due process. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/24 "2007-03-15T17:20:30Z")
How many number three guys have we nailed already? 20? You wanna be in Al Q, be number one, number two, or four on down to #253,675. But not three. Three, you’re done for. Al Toast. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/25 "2007-03-15T17:29:37Z")
[GD thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=412430) ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/26 "2007-03-15T17:30:41Z")
[QUOTE=Typo Knig] OK, he’s one bad dude. I’m sure he’ll be chained to the rock next to mine with the view of the worst lake of burning sulfur in hell. I’m sure he’ll be there real soon now, and I’m pretty good with that. But we’ve had this guy on the rack for **four fucking years** ([Wiki link for cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khalid_Sheikh_Mohammed#Capture.2C_interrogation_and_torture.3F)) and our government is just announcing the results **now**? I’m sure the timing of this announcement has everything to do with distracting the public from the political purge of the Federal Prosecutors, and almost nothing to do with KSM terrorist activities. I’m not even going to pretend to sarcasm here. Fucking Bush-leaguers! [/QUOTE] The story sure kicked The Purge off the front page of the Houston Chronicle. And off CNN’s website, too. [www.cnn.com/](http://www.cnn.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/27 "2007-03-15T17:37:06Z")
One of the AQ’s “top men” that we captured was hailed by the government as being Osama’s (BTW, what’s up with Osama? When was the last time he issued a tape?) close friends, every AQ expert came out and said, “Actually, Osama couldn’t stand the guy and gave him a pretty meaningless job.” We’ve got an Administration that at the very least, got the intel on WMDs wrong, if they didn’t outright lie about it, has used torture, fired government officials for purely political reasons, appointed people to critical jobs who had absolutely _no_ qualifications for that position, and in general, has spent the past 6 years fucking things up. Now, they come out with a guy they’ve kept in isolation for 4 years and say that he’s confessed to a whole string of crimes. I’m sorry, but I’m not buying it. He might very well be Satan’s righthand man, without a fair and open trial there’s no way to be sure. Hell, he might be confessing all of that stuff because he’s given up all hope of ever being set free and would rather die than spend several decades locked up. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/28 "2007-03-15T17:45:32Z")
“Hi, my name is **Abu Faraj al-Libbi** and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/05/04/pakistan.arrest/index.html).” “Hi, my name is **Abu Hamza Rabia** and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/04/wpak04.xml).” “Hi, my name is **Abu Zubaida** and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/jan-june02/limbo_6-12.html).” “Hi, my name is **Khalid Sheikh Mohammed** and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,81615,00.html).” “Hi, my name is **Saif al-Adel** and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/06/wiran106.xml).” “Hi, my name is \*\*Mohammed Sheikh Mohammed \*\* and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.therockalltimes.co.uk/2003/03/17/al-qaeda-arrests.html).” ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/29 "2007-03-15T18:14:31Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] “Hi, my name is **Abu Faraj al-Libbi** and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/05/04/pakistan.arrest/index.html).” “Hi, my name is **Abu Hamza Rabia** and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/04/wpak04.xml).” “Hi, my name is **Abu Zubaida** and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/jan-june02/limbo_6-12.html).” “Hi, my name is **Khalid Sheikh Mohammed** and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,81615,00.html).” “Hi, my name is **Saif al-Adel** and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/06/wiran106.xml).” “Hi, my name is \*\*Mohammed Sheikh Mohammed \*\* and I’m [Al Qaeda #3](http://www.therockalltimes.co.uk/2003/03/17/al-qaeda-arrests.html).” [/QUOTE] Who is number one? You are, number 3. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/30 "2007-03-15T18:19:42Z")
[Iron Maiden] I’m not a number I’m a free man and my life is my own [/Iron Maiden] ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/31 "2007-03-15T18:30:47Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] How many number three guys have we nailed already? 20? You wanna be in Al Q, be number one, number two, or four on down to #253,675. But not three. Three, you’re done for. Al Toast. [/QUOTE] As I understand it, with an amorphous “organization” of cells as AQ is purported to be, any senior commander who’s earned his bones would be #3. That’s what’s so convenient about conventional wisdom. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/32 "2007-03-15T18:32:23Z")
[QUOTE=El Cid Viscoso] As I understand it, with an amorphous “organization” of cells as AQ is purported to be, any senior commander who’s earned his bones would be #3. That’s what’s so convenient about conventional wisdom. [/QUOTE] Same thing goes for al Qaeda "lieutenant"s. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/33 "2007-03-15T18:33:29Z")
I’m Spartacus! ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@Evil\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_One)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/34 "2007-03-15T19:56:14Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] Well, he was the number three guy in a terrorist organization that was implicated in attacks on our embassies in Africa, the attack on the Cole, and the first attack on the World Trade Center. And this was even before 9/11. Plus, these were only the major attacks. I’m sure he’s culpable in some way, whether personally in the planning of operations or in setting in place a structure where others could do so. Either way, his crimes against humanity are pretty clear. [/QUOTE] Shhh. You’ll spoil the acoustics of the echo chamber. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/35 "2007-03-15T20:17:48Z")
[IMHO thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=412416) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/36 "2007-03-15T22:19:17Z")
[QUOTE=Evil One] Shhh. You’ll spoil the acoustics of the echo chamber. [/QUOTE] Yes, please keep it down. Per tradition **EO** , our board anaconda, is trying gamely to swallow this latest Bush administration announcement whole—and with one this large and malodorous, the slightest distraction might cause him to choke. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/37 "2007-03-15T22:31:06Z")
Latest update – Khalid Sheik Mohammad is now admitting to organizing the assassination of President Kennedy and of personally sinking the Maine using 20 popsicle sticks and a pellet gun. With one arm tied behind his back. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/38 "2007-03-15T22:33:00Z")
They kinda lost me when they said he shot J.R. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/39 "2007-03-15T22:43:46Z")
Next, he’ll tell us he pointed the Persian army at the goat path. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022/40 "2007-03-15T22:50:53Z")
The designated hitter rule and regular season interleague play? All him. Also that one time when I was in the fourth grade and someone framed me for hitting John Bresnahan in the ear with a spitwad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-confessed-but-how-much-did-he-really-do/396022.md?page=3)