Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III has rejected a plea deal that would have spared the lives of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks, and two of his accomplices. The plea deal, which would have exchanged guilty pleas for the removal of the death penalty as a possible punishment, was withdrawn, allowing the death penalty to remain on the table. This decision by Austin was met with a mixed response from families of 9/11 victims. Some, like Elizabeth Miller, felt that the back-and-forth was disrespectful and prolonged the process, while others, like Terry Strada, applauded the re-introduction of the death penalty as a possible punishment.
The plea deal would have given Mohammed and his accomplices life sentences and avoided a death penalty trial. It also included the opportunity for victim families to ask questions at a sentencing hearing in 2025. This plea agreement had been under consideration for years and was seen as a way to bring closure and justice for the families of the victims.
Mohammed, along with Walid Bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawasawi, have been detained at Guantanamo prison for nearly two decades. Mohammed is considered the principal architect of the 9/11 attacks. The rejected plea deal would have required the three men to plead guilty to all offenses, including the murder of almost 3,000 people. The families of the victims were informed of the decision in a letter from the Department of Defense, which explained the reasoning behind rejecting the plea deal and keeping the death penalty as an option.
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