Three 9/11 Plotters Reaches Plea Deal, Pentagon Confirms

Photo : AFP

Three men accused of orchestrating the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States have entered into a pre-trial agreement, according to the Department of Defense. The individuals—Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi—have been detained at the US Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for years without trial.

While the specifics of the deal have not been publicly disclosed, US news outlets report that the men will plead guilty in exchange for the prosecution not seeking the death penalty. This development follows nearly 3,000 deaths in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania during the 9/11 attacks, which led to the "War on Terror" and subsequent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel  

These attacks, the deadliest on US soil since the 1941 Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor, where 2,400 people were killed, forever changed the course of American and global history. The plea deal was initially revealed in a letter sent by prosecutors to the victims' families, as reported by The New York Times, and could be finalized in a military court as early as next week.

The US Department of Defense stated, "the specific terms and conditions of the pretrial agreements are not available to the public at this time." The charges against the men include attacking civilians, murder in violation of the laws of war, hijacking, and terrorism.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is widely regarded as the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks. He, along with Hawsawi, was captured in Pakistan in March 2003. Prosecutors allege that Mohammed conceived the idea of hijacking planes to crash them into US buildings, presented it to al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, and later recruited and trained some of the hijackers. During his detention, Mohammed was subjected to "enhanced interrogation techniques," including waterboarding, which critics argue amounted to torture.

The trial has faced significant delays, partly due to concerns that these interrogation methods could compromise the evidence against the detainees. Last September, the Biden administration reportedly rejected the terms of a plea deal with five detainees at Guantanamo, including Mohammed. The detainees had requested guarantees against solitary confinement and access to trauma treatment, which the administration did not grant.

The White House National Security Council confirmed that the president's office was informed of the new deal on Wednesday but did not participate in the negotiations. Jim Smith, whose wife perished in the attacks, expressed frustration to the New York Post, stating that the families of victims had "waited 23 years to have our day in court to put on the record what these animals did to our loved ones."

"They took that opportunity away from us," Smith said, advocating for the "highest penalty" for their roles. Republicans quickly criticized the Biden administration for negotiating the deal. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called the move "a revolting abdication of the government's responsibility to defend America and provide justice," arguing, "The only thing worse than negotiating with terrorists is negotiating with them after they are in custody."

As the pre-trial agreement progresses, it continues to stir significant controversy and emotional responses from various stakeholders, including the victims' families, legal experts, and political figures. The final terms and public reactions will likely shape the ongoing discourse surrounding justice and accountability for the 9/11 attacks