US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has canceled a pre-trial agreement with the men accused of orchestrating the (September 11, 2001) 9/11 Attacks. In a memo released on Friday, Austin also revoked the authority of the military court officer who had signed the agreement earlier in the week. This deal, which would have potentially avoided the death penalty for the accused, was met with criticism from some victims’ families.
The 9/11 attacks, which were the deadliest on US soil since the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, led to the “War on Terror” and invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. In his memo, Austin identified five defendants, including alleged ringleader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, currently held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The original deal involved three men.
Read more: Three Men Charged With 9/11 Plot Have Agreed to Plea Deal
Austin asserted that the decision to enter into pre-trial agreements should be made by him, withdrawing the previous authority and the three agreements. The White House has stated it was not involved in the plea deal. Victim families, such as Brett Eagleson of 9/11 Justice and Terry Strada of 9/11 Families United, have expressed relief at the revocation, advocating for the death penalty. Defense lawyers, however, expressed disappointment, citing concerns over due process and fair treatment. The accused face numerous charges, including terrorism and murder.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) is accused of proposing the idea of hijacking planes and crashing them into buildings to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. He was captured in Pakistan in 2003, alongside Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi, a Saudi alleged fundraiser for the operation.
Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, KSM’s nephew and a computer scientist, is alleged to have provided technical support for the 9/11 attacks. Ramzi bin al-Shibh, a Yemeni, is accused of coordinating the attacks and intended to be a hijacker but failed to obtain a US visa. Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak bin Attash, another Yemeni, is charged with involvement in the 9/11 attacks and the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 sailors.
Several Republicans praised Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s decision to revoke the plea deal. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson commended the reversal, attributing it to Republican investigations into the deal and urging for justice for the 9/11 victims’ families.
Senator Lindsey Graham supported the decision, stating it demonstrated sound judgment and avoided sending a negative message to terrorists. Earlier, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers demanded an explanation from Austin, criticizing the deal as a sign of willingness to negotiate with those who deliberately harm Americans.
