Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on Friday suddenly vacated a plea deal negotiated by Pentagon prosecutors with three of the terrorists charged in the September 11 attacks who are awaiting trial at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba
Secretary Austin voided the plea deal in a one-paragraph memo, overturning an agreement that had sparked nationwide outcry by taking capital punishment off the table. He has since assumed direct supervision of the case against 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi.
“Effective immediately, in the exercise of my authority, I hereby withdraw from the three pretrial agreements that you signed on July 31, 2024,” the letter from the Secretary of Defense reads.
The report doesn’t say why the issues weren’t addressed before those deals were signed and released.
Later Friday, the influential House Armed Services Committee announced it would be probing the plea agreements. The agreements “are unconscionable,” said Chairman Mike Rogers, R.-La.
“I, along with much of our nation and Congress, are deeply shocked and angered by news that the terrorist mastermind and his associates who planned the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, which killed nearly 3000 innocent people, were offered a plea deal,” Rogers wrote in the letter, first obtained by Fox News Digital. Rogers called news of the deals a “gut punch” to victims’ families.
The White House said Thursday that President Biden “played no role” in the process after news broke of two deals widely panned as scanty.
“The White House learned yesterday that the Convening Authority for Military Commissions entered into pretrial agreements, negotiated by military prosecutors, with KSM and other 9/11 defendants,” a White House National Security Council spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “The President and the White House played no role in this process. The President has directed his team to consult as appropriate with officials and lawyers at the Department of Defense on this matter.” White House national security spokesman John Kirby reiterated that the White House played no role in the plea deal on Fox News Channel, adding that the administration was “not aware” of the deals until they were announced.
A similar plan would have allowed the three suspects to live last year but was rejected by the president.
Victims’ advocates reacted even more swiftly to the plea deal and Austin’s prompt nullification of it.
Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York President Patrick Hendry told Fox News that this was a “huge relief” to 9/11 victim’s families. The anguish and anger of the families of our 9/11 heroes transformed into a powerful message.
A plea agreement, the prosecutors have since rescinded due to courage on behalf of those who were charged with misconduct. We are relieved and thankful, but the work is not over. These terrorists, as I mentioned before, have killed many innocent people and must therefore be executed. If only for the sake of our national security, that somber commitment is one we must keep, and nothing less would properly honor those who have already suffered far too much.
Brett Eagleson, who is President of 9/11 Justice stated he was upset and criticized the panel for failing to focus on the victims families.
“We are astounded and deeply frustrated that our families were not consulted or even notified in advance of the plea deal or its subsequent revocation,” said 9/11 Justice President Brett Eagleson. “These monsters need to be forced to share every piece of information they have about the attacks and be held fully accountable for the murder of our loved ones. It’s not just about punishment, it’s about uncovering the full truth.
Our pursuit of truth and justice will never waver. The administration must compel these people to divulge everything they know about 9/11, particularly the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The American people and the families of nearly 3,000 victims deserve nothing less. This development must not deter us from pursuing accountability for all who are responsible, including the government of Saudi Arabia.
9/11 Justice will be relentless in continuing to wage our 17-year struggle for the truth, and justice on behalf of victims’ families The revocation of these plea deals should serve as a call to arms in our unflinching effort towards transparency and accountability,” the statement said.
Those defendants stand accused of providing training, financial assistance and other aid to the 19 terrorists who hijacked four passenger jets and flew two into New York City’s World Trade Center, one into a portion of the Pentagon near Washington D.C., top right photo on September 11 that killed thousands.
In the worst terror attack ever on U.S. soil, nearly 3,000 people died in those attacks. Upon being given the news of what had transpired with the deal, loved ones of past victims were outraged.
