Three accused conspirators in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States have reached a pre-trial agreement, as confirmed by the Department of Defense. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi have been detained at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for several years without facing trial.
While specific details of the agreement remain undisclosed, reports suggest that the defendants intend to plead guilty in return for the prosecution’s promise not to pursue the death penalty.
The September 11 attacks claimed nearly 3,000 lives across New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, triggering the “War on Terror” and subsequent military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice, an organization representing survivors and victim families, expressed deep concern regarding the plea deals, highlighting a lack of transparency in the legal process. He called for a thorough investigation into Saudi Arabia’s possible involvement in the attacks.
Terry Strada, who lost her husband in the attacks and serves as the national chair of 9/11 Families United, described the plea deal as a devastating blow, stating it represents a significant victory for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-defendants.
The September 11 attacks remain the deadliest on U.S. soil since the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, which resulted in the deaths of 2,400 individuals. Prosecutors have indicated that the military court proceedings could occur as soon as next week, and the Department of Defense emphasized that the particulars of the pre-trial agreements are not publicly available at this time.
The accused face a multitude of charges, including terrorism, hijacking, and murder. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is often referred to as the mastermind behind the assaults, which involved hijackers seizing commercial airliners and crashing them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A fourth plane was brought down in Pennsylvania after passengers intervened.
Captured in Pakistan in March 2003, Mohammed was subjected to harsh interrogation tactics before the practices were outlawed by the U.S. government, raising concerns about the admissibility of certain evidence.
The protracted delays in the trial have been largely attributed to fears that the controversial interrogation methods could jeopardize the prosecution’s case. National security analysts describe the agreement as the least unfavorable outcome under the current circumstances.
Recent reports indicate that the Biden administration declined a separate plea deal earlier this September involving five detainees, highlighting ongoing challenges in navigating these sensitive negotiations. The White House has stated that the president was not involved in the agreement process.
Amid revelations surrounding the case, lawsuits are being filed against Saudi Arabia, as 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals. Meanwhile, some political figures have criticized the administration’s handling of the plea deal, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell characterizing it as a failure to uphold justice and protect national security.