US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has made a bold move by revoking a pre-trial agreement reached with men accused of plotting the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The original deal, which would have reportedly spared the alleged attackers the death penalty, was met with criticism from some families of victims.
In a memo issued on Friday, Mr. Austin also revoked the authority of the officer overseeing the military court who had signed the agreement just two days prior. The memo named five defendants, including the alleged ringleader of the plot, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, all of whom are held in Guantánamo Bay.
“I have determined that, in light of the significance of the decision to enter into pre-trial agreements with the accused, responsibility for such a decision should rest with me as the superior authority,” Mr. Austin wrote in the memo.
The sudden reversal of the plea deal has shocked many, including family members of victims who had criticized the terms of the agreement as too lenient. Brett Eagleson, the president of 9/11 Justice, expressed deep concern over the plea deals, stating that the families were “deeply troubled” by the outcome.
The men accused in the 9/11 attacks have been in custody for decades without trial, with allegations of torture complicating the legal proceedings. The decision to revoke the plea deal has been met with praise from several Republicans, with Senator Lindsey Graham commending the move as a signal that negotiating with terrorists is not an option.
The 9/11 attacks in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania were the deadliest assault on US soil since the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The revocation of the plea deal marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
