Update on Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay
Update on Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay
Presented by: John Ryan, Deborah Garcia, and Colleen Kelly
Wednesday, July 16th - 7:00pm EST
The Guantanamo Bay (GITMO) Detention Center was established in 2002 to hold 9/11 terrorist suspects following the September 11 attacks. The proceedings have been mired in legal challenges, delays, and controversy—raising difficult questions about justice, accountability, and the enduring impact on victims' families as they await the official Military Commission trials. Join us in conversation with Lawdragon journalist John Ryan, and 9/11 family members Deborah Garcia and Colleen Kelly.
Since so many families have not had the opportunity to visit Guantanamo, the webinar presentation is intended to provide an overview of the history of the Commission and a perspective on what it’s like to be present during the pre-trial hearing. It is not intended to discuss viewpoints about the potential outcome.
About the Presenters
Deborah Garcia
Deborah’s husband, David, was murdered in his office on the 97th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower, leaving behind two sons who were eight and four-years-old. She is a writer, poet, and justice advocate for victims of terrorism. She is a member of the VOICES Center for Resilience, Tuesday’s Children, The Survivors of Terrorism Outreach Program (STOP), and the International Women’s Writer’s Guild (IWWG).
She attends hearings at the Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay Cuba and joins 9/11 families in litigation and legislative efforts seeking accountability and justice for victims of terrorism. She publishes in 9/11 community forums, social media platforms, Substack, and her website at www.worldtradewidow.com, and is currently writing a memoir.
Colleen Kelly
Colleen Kelly is a mother of three from the Bronx, New York. Colleen's brother Bill Kelly Jr. was killed on 9/11 at the age of thirty at the World Trade Centers in New York City.
Colleen co-founded September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, an organization twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She currently serves as the Co-chair of the group's Rule of Law Committee. Colleen has traveled numerous times to attend the pre-trial hearings of the 9/11 accused at Guantanamo.
Colleen is a family nurse practitioner specializing in Adolescent Medicine. Additionally, she has a Masters in International Relations from the City College of New York.
John Ryan
John Ryan is an award-winning journalist with 25 years of experience covering complex issues related to the criminal and civil justice systems, human rights, and global justice. He co-manages Lawdragon’s day-to-day operations and regularly reports from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on the military commissions against accused terrorists.
John won New York Press Club Awards in 2025 and 2019 for his coverage of the Sept. 11 case and was a Finalist for Best News Reporting in 2021 by the Society of Professional Journalists’ New York Chapter (The Deadline Club). His forthcoming book on the 9/11 case and the military commissions, America’s Trial, is set for release in Summer 2025. Before joining Lawdragon, John reported for the Los Angeles Daily Journal, where he was named a “Print Journalist of the Year Finalist” by the Los Angeles Press Club from 2003 to 2005, won two “Best Magazine Feature” awards, and earned a “Best News Feature, Runner Up” distinction for his story on the legal-defense efforts for accused terrorists Zacarias Moussaoui and Yaser Hamdi.
His international reporting has taken him to South Africa, The Hague, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, and Rwanda to examine how post-conflict societies pursue accountability for war crimes and human rights abuses. He holds an MA in human rights studies from New York University and a BA from Colby College.