Official announcements from the Pentagon or Military Commissions

Biden Admin Announces 9/11 Mastermind and Accomplices Reach Plea Deals for Life Sentences

Jul 31, 2024, 10:05 PM

The U.S. government, under the Biden Administration, has reached plea agreements with three of the five men accused of plotting the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the attacks, along with his accomplices Walid Bin 'Attash and Mustafa al Hawsawi, will plead guilty to conspiracy charges in exchange for life sentences instead of facing the death penalty. The plea deals were approved by a senior Pentagon official and confirmed by Susan Escallier, the Convening Authority for Military Commissions. This decision has sparked criticism, with some arguing that the accused should have been tried in civilian courts years ago. The plea agreements, announced Wednesday, mark a significant development in the long-running legal proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, nearly 23 years after the attacks.