Pentagon Rescinds Plea Deal for 9/11 Attackers

(The Hill) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday revoked a plea deal that would have taken the death penalty off the table for three prisoners accused of helping plan the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Austin said in a news release that he believed that given the importance of the case, responsibility for what happens to prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay “should rest with me as the highest authority under the Military Commissions Act of 2009.”

Earlier this week, the Pentagon announced that a deal had been reached with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak bin Attash and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi. Under the deal, all three prisoners would have been sentenced to life in prison.

Retired Brigadier General Susan K. Escallier signed a pretrial agreement Wednesday.

In Friday’s memo, the Pentagon secretary wrote: “Effective immediately, in the exercise of my authority, I hereby withdraw from the three pretrial agreements that you signed on July 31, 2024.” The New York Times was first to report the memo.

Escallier’s approval of the plea deal drew backlash from some victims’ families, New York firefighters and prominent Republicans.

Some critics have also said the deal would prevent the public from knowing what really happened nearly 23 years ago. Republicans are directing their criticism at President Biden and Vice President Harris, even though the White House has said it played no role in the negotiations.

On Friday, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Austin demanding answers about the plea deal. He said he was “deeply shocked” by the deal and called it a “huge blow” to the victims’ families.