US defense secretary abruptly cancels plea deal with 9/11 mastermind
United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has abruptly rescinded a plea deal for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged orchestrator of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. The plea deal was withdrawn just two days after its announcement by the Pentagon. The agreement also involved two other defendants, Walid Bin 'Attash and Hawsawi. The deal, which was reached after 27 months of negotiations, eliminated the possibility of a death penalty for these individuals.
Austin assumes responsibility, revokes authority of military commissions
In a memo issued on Friday night (local time), Austin stated that the responsibility for such a significant decision "should rest with me." He also stripped Susan Escallier, the convening authority for military commissions at Guantanamo Bay, where Mohammed is being held, of her power in these cases. "I hereby withdraw from the three pre-trial agreements that you signed on July 31, 2024 in the above-referenced case," the memo read.
Charges against alleged 9/11 mastermind and co-conspirators
The pre-trial agreement, announced on Wednesday, would have resulted in prison sentences for Mohammed and his co-defendants. In return, all three have agreed to plead guilty to all charges, including the murder of 2,976 people as listed in their charge sheet. At the time, prosecutors stated that the decision to agree to a pre-trial deal was not made lightly and is viewed as the most effective route to justice in this case.
Delayed military trial and torture allegations
Mohammed was charged in 2008 with crimes including conspiracy, murder, attacking civilians, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, destruction of property, terrorism, and material support of terrorism. However, the military trial against Mohammed and others was postponed for years due to complications surrounding evidence obtained through torture at secret Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) prisons. The trial was scheduled to commence on January 11, 2021, but delays caused by the resignation of two judges and the pandemic moved the date back again.
Plea deal sparks backlash from politicians, 9/11 victims' groups
The plea deal announcement had sparked intense criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal told CNN that the administration owed Americans an explanation for the agreement, while Republican Senator Lindsey Graham cautioned that the deal "sends a horribly bad signal at a very dangerous time." Since taking office in 2021, President Joe Biden has vowed to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, repatriating many inmates who were no longer regarded threats to national security.
