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A military judge has revived controversial plea deals for 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two codefendants, reversing Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin’s earlier decision, according to a Fox News Digital report.
An anonymous official speaking to The Associated Press said Air Force Col. and Judge Matthew McCall reinstated the deals. The U.S. military has not formally announced the ruling. These plea deals, approved by the top official of the Gitmo military commission, were initially reached this summer; the defendants remain imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay.
If approved, the plea deals would allow 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two codefendants to avoid the death penalty in exchange for guilty pleas. The deals have faced criticism from 9/11 victims and politicians, including Sen. and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
“Joe Biden, Kamala Harris have weaponized the Department of Justice to go after their political opponents, but they’re cutting a sweetheart deal with 9/11 terrorists,” Vance said back in July.
Sen. Ted Cruz also tweeted about the deal:
Disgraceful. President Trump’s administration should fight this decision tooth and nail and never stop fighting until the architect of 9/11 is executed and Americans receive the justice they deserve.https://t.co/B51UYvZ4Xj
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 11, 2024
A military judge ruled Wednesday that plea deals sparing accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other terrorists the death penalty must remain in effect.
Family members of the victims of the heinous terror attack, which killed nearly 3,000, were outraged by the… pic.twitter.com/0ClqZbcFS7
— TheRealCherokeeOwl (@RealCherokeeOwl) November 7, 2024
Pentagon officials reported in July that Austin was surprised by news of the plea deals.
“This is not something that the secretary was consulted on,” Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said at the time. “We were not aware that the prosecution or defense would enter the terms of the plea agreement.”
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