Barack Obama says if Osama bin Laden were captured on his watch, he’d want to ensure he doesn’t become a martyr if he were prosecuted. Obama said he’s not sure that the terrorist mastermind would be captured alive.

But if he were, Obama said he would want to bring him to justice “in a way that allows the entire world to understand the murderous acts that he’s engaged in and not to make him into a martyr.”

Obama was asked about how he would handle bin Laden at a news conference Wednesday after he met with a new team of national security advisers. The meeting came after rival John McCain’s campaign criticized Obama for a having a pre-9-11 mind-set for promoting trial of terrorists.