Defense Secretary Overrides Plea Agreement for 9/11 Attack Suspects, Reinstates Death Penalty Cases
WASHINGTON — In a significant development, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has overridden a plea agreement for the accused mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks and two other defendants, reinstating the possibility of death penalty cases.
This decision comes just two days after military commission officials at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, announced they had reached plea deals with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two alleged accomplices, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi.
Communications sent to the families of nearly 3,000 victims of the al-Qaida attacks indicated that the plea agreement would have resulted in life sentences for the defendants.
This move has drawn criticism from some families of the victims, who argue that the plea deal undermines the potential for full trials and the pursuit of death penalties. Republican leaders have also expressed their disapproval of the Biden administration’s handling of the agreement, despite the White House’s claims of being unaware of it.
In a statement released Friday night, Austin clarified that due to the significance of the case, he deemed it necessary to exercise his authority in rejecting the plea agreements.
The defendants were anticipated to formally enter their pleas next week as part of the initial arrangement.
The military commission overseeing the trials of five defendants in the September 11 attacks has faced ongoing delays since 2008, largely due to the complications arising from torture experiences suffered during CIA custody. This situation has hindered progress towards full trials and definitive verdicts, particularly with evidence related to the torture being ruled inadmissible.
