Judge reinstates plea deal for 9/11 masterminds; no death penalty
Air Force Colonel and Judge Matthew McCall has reportedly reinstated the controversial plea deals for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants involved in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The decision goes against an earlier order by Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, who had revoked the deals in July 2024 over concerns about their process and lack of consultation with victims' families and lawmakers. The US military has yet to officially announce McCall's ruling.
Plea deals allow 9/11 terrorists to avoid death penalty
The plea agreements, first approved by the Guantanamo Bay military commission's top official earlier this summer, would allow Mohammed and his co-defendants to escape execution in return for guilty pleas. If finalized, Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi would plead guilty to all charges in the 9/11 attacks but escape the death penalty. The deals have drawn major criticism from political leaders and families of 9/11 victims.
Congressional leaders and 9/11 victims' families oppose deals
The plea agreements have been vehemently opposed by political leaders and relatives of 9/11 victims. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell were among those who slammed the decision to spare Mohammed and his co-conspirators from execution, calling it an affront to victims' families and the American public. Terry Strada, national chair of 9/11 Families United, also condemned the plea bargains earlier this year.
9/11 mastermind and co-defendants' roles in attacks
Widely known as the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives, Mohammed has been held at Guantanamo Bay since his capture in 2003. His co-defendants, Bin 'Attash and al Hawsawi, are also alleged to have played key roles in planning and facilitating the attacks. The three men were first arraigned together on charges of their involvement in 2008 and again in 2012.
