Washington, D.C.: The U.S. government may proceed with the contentious plea agreements involving three individuals accused of planning the 9/11 attacks, following a ruling from a Defense Department appeals court, as reported by the Washington Post.
The court's unanimous ruling, delivered on Monday evening, criticized Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who sought to block the agreements in August despite their earlier approval by a presiding judge.
The plea agreements pertain to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, along with two associates, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi. Under these agreements, the individuals would receive life sentences in exchange for acknowledging their involvement in the al-Qaeda conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of 2,977 people.
The hijackers targeted the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York City with the first two planes, while the third plane struck the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth plane was intended for a federal government building in Washington, D.C., but ultimately crashed in a field.
Austin contended that the families of 9/11 victims and those impacted by the subsequent wars deserved to see the accused face trial.
Nevertheless, the appeals court determined that while Austin could restrict future pretrial agreements, he lacked the authority to invalidate those already sanctioned. The court highlighted that the defendants' admissions of guilt would preclude the possibility of a new trial.
A senior defense official, who requested anonymity, indicated that both the Defense and Justice Departments are assessing the ruling and considering their options. On Tuesday, the U.S. government submitted a motion to postpone the plea agreements until January 27, allowing officials time to determine whether to pursue additional legal action. A motions hearing in Mohammed's case is set for January 6.
The ruling by the appeals court affirms a previous decision made by Air Force Colonel Matthew McCall, a judge for the military commission, who concluded in November that the plea agreements are legitimate. He argued that permitting Austin to revoke these agreements afterward would effectively give him an "absolute veto over any discretionary act" made by the officer he appointed to manage the cases. Following this ruling, the Pentagon filed an appeal within days, paving the way for the appeals court's involvement, as reported by the Washington Post.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, one of the most notorious terrorists, was apprehended in March 2003 at his hideout in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and has been held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, ever since.
