(Washington, DC) -- Senator Patrick Leahy is using the example of the trial of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh as proof the U.S. can successfully try terrorism suspects in federal court.

On the CBS program "Face the Nation," the Vermont Democrat who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee said trying the men accused of masterminding the 9-11 attacks needs to be done in the U.S. Leahy said regardless of where someone is from, if they kill Americans in America, they need to face a trial here.

Republican Pete Hoekstra disagreed. The congressman from Michigan called the decision announced last week to hold trials in New York City political and warned the suspects will turn the trial into a circus.

The ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee called the move a "bad idea" and questioned why some detainees at Guantanamo Bay will face a military tribunal and why others will go to federal court.

(Copyright 2009 by VERTEXNews/Newsroom Solutions)