Accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is set to enter a guilty plea in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Friday in a plea agreement that would spare him and two co-defendants from the death penalty for their roles in the September 11, 2001, attacks. The Defense Secretary's attempts to throw out the negotiated plea deal have caused a last-minute legal battle.
Defense lawyers have criticized the U.S. military and successive administrations for their handling of the case, describing it as 'fitful' and 'negligent.' The plea agreement, which was approved by the military, was renounced by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, leading to a legal dispute over its validity.
The federal appeals panel is expected to rule on the Biden administration's request to block Mohammed's plea from going forward at a U.S. military commission courtroom. Legal and logistical challenges have plagued the 9/11 case for 17 years, with no trial date set.
The plea deal, which involved Mohammed and two co-defendants pleading guilty to 2,976 murder charges in exchange for life sentences, was seen as a path to finality and justice by military prosecutors. However, Austin's intervention has thrown the agreement into uncertainty.
The Justice Department argues that accepting the guilty pleas would deny the government the opportunity for a public trial and the chance to seek capital punishment for the three men charged with the heinous act of mass murder on September 11. The legal battle continues as families of the victims await a resolution.
