Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday revoked a plea deal that would have dropped the death penalty for three prisoners accused of helping plan the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Austin said in a Press release that he believes that, given the importance of the case, responsibility for what happens to prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay “should rest with me as the superior authority under the Military Commissions Act of 2009.”
Earlier this week, the Pentagon said an agreement had been reached with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak bin Attash and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi. Under the plea agreement, the three prisoners would have received life sentences.
Retired Brigadier. Gen. Susan K. Escallier signed a pretrial agreement Wednesday.
In Friday’s memo, the Pentagon secretary wrote “effective immediately, in the exercise of my authority, I hereby withdraw the three pretrial agreements I signed on July 31, 2024.” The New York Times first reported the memo.
Escallier’s approval of the plea deal provoked negative reactions from some victims’ families, the New York City shootings and high-profile Republicans.
Some critics also said the deal would prevent the public from knowing what really happened nearly 23 years ago. Republicans direct their criticism at President Biden and Vice President Harris, although the White House has said it played no role in the negotiations.
On Friday, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Austin demanding answers about the plea deal. He said he was “deeply shocked” by the settlement and said it was a “punch in the gut” for the victims’ families.
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