US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Cancels Plea Deal with 9/11 Mastermind
- US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has canceled a plea agreement with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks.
- The plea deal, which was announced earlier this week, would have removed the death penalty from consideration.
- Austin’s decision comes after backlash from 9/11 victims’ families and criticism from Republican leaders.
In a surprising move, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has withdrawn a controversial plea agreement with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. This decision comes just two days after the agreement was announced, which had seemingly progressed the long-stalled cases of Mohammed and two alleged accomplices toward resolution.
The plea deal would have removed the death penalty as an option, a provision that stirred significant anger among the families of the victims and drew criticism from prominent Republican figures. In a memorandum issued on Saturday, Austin stated that he believed the decision to enter into such a significant agreement should be made personally by him. The memo directed Susan Escallier, who had overseen the case, to withdraw from the agreements signed on July 31, 2024.
The cases involving Mohammed and his co-defendants have been mired in complex legal procedures for years, with the accused remaining imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay. Austin’s abrupt reversal reflects the ongoing tension and high stakes surrounding the pursuit of justice for the 9/11 attacks.
