Judge Reinstates Controversial 9/11 Plea Deals Involving Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: Report

Military judge rules on controversial plea deals related to 9/11 terrorist Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants were again under review, contrary to an order Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin made earlier this year.

An anonymous official told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the decision to reopen the deals was made by Air Force Colonel and Judge Matthew McCall. The US military has not yet announced this decision.

The plea deal concerns old business strikes were launched against the terrorists earlier this summer. The defendants are being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the deals were approved by a top official at Gitmo’s military commission.

If a plea deal goes through, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, suspected of being the chief architect 9/11 attacks – and two co-defendants would avoid the death penalty in exchange for a guilty plea.

Lawmakers and families of 9/11 victims react to plea deal with terrorists: ‘a slap in the face’

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the Gitmo Enterprise shared the image — A judge recently ruled in favor of a plea deal involving Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

The plea deals have been condemned by a number of 9/11 victims and US politicians. The Pentagon withdrew the agreements in July.

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“Effective immediately, in exercise of my authority, I hereby waive the three pre-trial agreements you entered into on July 31, 2024,” Austin’s letter said.

The Biden administration has distanced itself from the agreements. Pentagon officials said in July that Austin was surprised by news of the deals.

9/11 mastermind, two others took plea deals while awaiting trial; Victims’ families ‘very disappointed’

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, an al-Qaeda terrorism suspect, is pictured in this photograph released by the FBI on October 10, 2001, in Washington, DC. Mohammed was arrested at a house in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

“This is not an issue on which the Secretary of State was consulted,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said at the time. “We did not know that the prosecution or defense would accept the terms of the plea agreement.”

Terry Strada, national chairman of 9/11 United Families, denounced the plea deal with Fox News Digital earlier this year.

“(Terrorists) committed this heinous crime against the United States,” Strada said. “They should have been brought to justice, tried and punished. Since when do the people responsible for murder get to call the shots?”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Pentagon for comment.

Louis Casiano of Fox News Digital and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Original article source: Judge reinstates controversial 9/11 terrorist plea deals involving Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: report