Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has taken action to revoke plea agreements that would have allowed alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two of his accomplices to avoid a death penalty trial.
The Department of Defense (DOD) announced earlier this week that Mohammed, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi had entered into plea deals that would keep them in prison for life while avoiding a death penalty trial, which has been held up due to a series of legal maneuvers for more than 12 years.
While the decision was praised by some, it prompted an avalanche of criticism from others, especially Republican politicians who accused the Biden administration of being too soft on defendants who allegedly helped cause the deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001.
In a memorandum released by the Pentagon on Friday night, Austin informed Brigadier General Susan Escallier, the military official who signed off on the plea deals, that he was personally taking control of the case and rescinding the agreements.
“I have determined that, in light of the significance of the decision to enter into pre-trial agreements with the accused in the above-referenced case, responsibility for such a decision should rest with me as the superior convening authority under the Military Commissions Act of 2009,” Austin wrote.
“Effective immediately, I hereby withdraw your authority in the above-referenced case to enter into a pre-trial agreement and reserve such authority to myself,” he added. “Effective immediately, in the exercise of my authority, I hereby withdraw from the three pre-trial agreements that you signed on July 31, 2024 in the above-referenced case.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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