The accused mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, along with his co-defendants Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, have agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges. US officials have stated that the plea deal will spare them the death penalty in exchange for life sentences.
The defendants, who have been in US custody since 2003, are expected to enter their pleas at the military commission in Guantanamo Bay next week. This development comes after prolonged legal delays and debates over whether evidence obtained through CIA’s enhanced interrogation techniques, widely regarded as torture, tainted the prosecution’s case.
A letter to the victims’ families, signed by Rear Adm. Aaron C. Rugh and three military commission prosecutors, confirmed the plea agreement. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks, which involved hijacked planes crashing into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field.
Defense attorneys have argued that the CIA’s torture of the defendants compromised the evidence, leading to years of gridlock in the prosecution. The plea deal is a significant yet controversial step toward resolving one of the most prolonged and complicated legal battles in US history.
Terry Strada, chairwoman of 9/11 Families United, expressed mixed feelings, noting many families’ desire for a trial and proper justice. The sentencing of the defendants is not expected until later next year.
