Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revoked a plea deal for three men accused of planning the 9/11 attacks. He withdrew the authority from the convening authority, Susan Escallier, and reserved such authority for himself. The accused men, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, had reached plea agreements that would prevent them from receiving the death penalty. The terms of the revoked deal have not been disclosed.
The plea deal, negotiated by the accused men, their attorneys, and Escallier, had faced criticism from families of victims and members of Congress. Congressional Republicans, including Rep. Michael McCaul and Sen. Lindsey Graham, praised Austin’s decision to revoke the deal, with Graham stating that it would send the wrong signal to terrorists.
The Biden-Harris Administration’s role in the plea deal has been scrutinized by GOP-led committees, including the House Oversight Committee and the House Armed Services Committee. The former Attorney General Eric Holder criticized the deal, calling it an “awful deal” that was influenced by political hacks. Holder had initially planned to bring the accused men to trial in federal court in Manhattan, but that plan was blocked by members of Congress. Former Attorney General William Barr also criticized the military commissions as a “hopeless mess.”
Overall, Austin’s decision to revoke the plea deal has been met with support from Congressional Republicans and criticism from families of victims, emphasizing the need for those responsible for the 9/11 attacks to be held fully accountable.
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