U.S. attorney general says don't execute 9/11 accused

By Chloe Fussell

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey said on Friday he hoped Guantanamo prisoners charged in the September 11 attacks would not receive the death penalty, even though capital punishment would be fitting.

His comments were swiftly denounced by a defence attorney for one of the accused and by Amnesty International, who said they could prejudice the case.

"It's extremely disturbing," said Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA. "You have the highest-ranking law enforcement official in the country indicating that he thinks they are guilty."

Speaking at the London School of Economics, Mukasey said the death penalty would allow the six accused in the attacks on New York and Washington, including the self-confessed commander of al Qaeda's foreign military operations, to portray themselves as victims.

"I hope they don't get the death penalty -- they would see themselves as martyrs," Mukasey said in response to questions at a talk on Anglo-American law enforcement.

Military prosecutors are seeking to execute the men if they are convicted, although the "convening authority" overseeing the case has yet to decide whether to accept it and whether those charged would be eligible for the death penalty.

The accused are being held at the U.S. detention centre for terrorism suspects on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Charges are now pending against of 13 of the centre's more than 275 prisoners. The Pentagon is trying to move the Guantanamo trials along before the end of the Bush administration in January.