Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Rejects Plea Deal for 9/11 Suspects
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has spoken publicly for the first time about his decision to reject a plea deal for the men accused in al-Qaida's 2001 attacks, emphasizing the significance of American losses and sacrifices on 9/11 as reasons for proceeding with a military commission trial.
"This wasn't a decision that I took lightly," Austin told reporters during an event with Australian officials in Annapolis, Maryland. "But I have long believed that the families of the victims, our service members, and the American public deserve the opportunity to see military commission trials carried out in the 9/11 case."
At the U.S. military commission in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, legal teams and the judge for the case of alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other defendants were still processing Austin's unexpected directive and its implications for the long-standing case. Mohammed and four other defendants at Guantanamo are accused of orchestrating the September 11, 2001, attacks, which resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. One defendant did not agree to the plea deal, and another was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial last year.
The case, plagued by complex legal issues including the impact of the defendants' torture while in CIA custody, has been mired in pre-trial hearings for over a decade. Last week, the retired general overseeing the military commission approved a plea bargain that would have spared Mohammed and the two other defendants the death penalty in exchange for guilty pleas. However, Austin's order, made public late Friday, revoked the plea agreement and reinstated his personal authority over decisions in the 9/11 case.
Austin, who commanded troops in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks and received a Silver Star for his role as a commander during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, expressed a deep personal connection to the events of 9/11. "There's not a day that goes by when I don't think of 9/11 and the Americans that were murdered that day. Also, those who died trying to save lives, and the troops and their families who gave so much for this country," he said.
Families of 9/11 victims have voiced mixed reactions, with some supporting the plea deal as a resolution and others advocating for capital trials. Senior Republicans in Congress have criticized the Biden administration for the plea bargain. Lawyers and civil rights organizations involved in the Guantanamo cases have accused Austin of succumbing to political pressure and are challenging the legality of his action.
Open hearings are set to resume Wednesday, which may shed light on the defense's response to the overturned plea agreement.
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