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In a sudden reversal, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has cancelled plea deals with three suspects accused of involvement in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including alleged mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The decision, announced Friday, overturns agreements reached earlier this week with the detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
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The Pentagon had previously confirmed the existence of these agreements on Wednesday without providing specifics. Sources familiar with the matter indicated the deals likely involved guilty pleas in exchange for life sentences instead of potential death penalties.
Austin’s decision came after he removed Susan Escallier, who oversees the Guantanamo war court, from her authority to negotiate pre-trial agreements in this case. The Defense Secretary has assumed this responsibility personally.
“I hereby withdraw from the three pre-trial agreements…,” Austin stated in an official memo, effective immediately.
The reversal follows strong criticism from prominent Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who vocally opposed the plea deals.
This development marks a significant shift in the long-running legal proceedings against the 9/11 suspects, raising questions about the future course of their prosecution and the broader implications for the military justice system at Guantanamo Bay.
