The Department of Defense quietly released it reached a plea deal with 9/11 masterminds Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi.
The department refused to release the terms of the plea deal, but word is that they avoid the death penalty:
Word of the deal emerged in a letter from war court prosecutors to Sept. 11 family members.“In exchange for the removal of the death penalty as a possible punishment, these three accused have agreed to plead guilty to all of the charged offenses, including the murder of the 2,976 people listed in the charge sheet,” said the letter, which was signed by Rear Adm. Aaron C. Rugh, the chief prosecutor for military commissions, and three lawyers on his team.The letter said the men could submit their pleas in open court as early as next week.
The deal supposedly squashed what could have been a 12-18 month trial. The government supposedly faced “the possibility of the military judge throwing out confessions that were key to the government’s case.”
The deal infuriated firefighters and 9/11 victims’ families.
FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro: “On behalf of New York City firefighters, especially the survivors of the September 11th terrorist attack who are living with the illnesses and injuries that were inflicted upon us that day, we are disgusted and disappointed that these three terrorists were given a plea deal and allowed to escape the ultimate justice while each month three more heroes from the FDNY are dying from World Trade Center illnesses.”
The group 9/11 Justice found the deal troubling.
“While we acknowledge the decision to avoid the death penalty, our primary concern remains access to these individuals for information,” protested 9/11 Justice President Brett Eagleson. “These plea deals should not perpetuate a system of closed-door agreements, where crucial information is hidden without giving the families of the victims the chance to learn the full truth.”
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