Anticipating international criticism over plans to seek the death penalty for accused September 11, 2001, terrorists, the State Department is advising U.S. diplomats to point out that Nazis were executed after their war crime trials.

The United States announced this week it is pushing ahead with military commission trials and execution for six suspects in the September 11, 2001, attacks.

A memo sent to U.S. embassies around the world sets out questions and answers about the trials and the death penalty.

CNN received a copy of the memo, first reported on by The Associated Press.

One portion of the memo reads: "Doesn't the application of the death penalty to these defendants violate international law?"

(Article continues below)

The answer: "No. International humanitarian law contemplates the use of the death penalty for serious violations of the laws of war. The most serious war criminals sentenced at Nuremberg were executed for their actions" at the end of World War II.

The memo says U.S. diplomats should draw from the points in the memo "in responding to foreign government and media requests."

Full article here.