Pentagon director annuls 9/11 suspects’ plea agreement
(MENAFN) United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has rescinded a plea agreement involving three key suspects in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, including the alleged mastermind Khalid sheikh Mohammed, according to a Pentagon announcement on Saturday. The deal, which had been negotiated to allow the suspects to plead guilty in exchange for avoiding the death penalty, was initially disclosed by prosecutors on Wednesday.
The agreement encompassed Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is considered the primary architect of the 2001 attacks; Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, who is alleged to have selected and trained many of the hijackers; and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi, accused of providing financial support to the hijackers during their time in the US.
The plea deal was previously orchestrated by retired Brigadier General Susan K. Escallier, who had been appointed by Austin as the convening authority for military commissions in 2023. However, Austin has since decided to remove her from this particular case, as outlined in a memo released by the Pentagon.
In the memo, Austin emphasized that given the gravity of the decision to enter into pre-trial agreements with the accused, the responsibility for such decisions should rest with him personally, as the superior convening authority under the Military Commissions Act. He officially withdrew the agreements made on July 31, 2024, but did not provide specific reasons for this reversal.
This move marks a significant shift in the handling of the high-profile case, underscoring the Pentagon’s ongoing commitment to a meticulous and personally overseen legal process in matters of national security.
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