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Pentagon Moves to Block Guantanamo Plea Deals That Spare 9/11 Defendants From Death Penalty

Jan 8, 2025, 12:52 AM

The Biden administration has asked a federal appeals court to block plea agreements for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, and two other defendants held at Guantanamo Bay. The plea deals, scheduled to be accepted on Friday, would allow the defendants to avoid the death penalty in exchange for guilty pleas. The Pentagon filed an emergency appeal after a military judge refused to invalidate the agreements, despite Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's decision to revoke them. The government's motion aims to prevent the military judge from accepting the plea agreements, moving the question from military to civilian courts.