10 months ago
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(The Hill) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revoked a plea deal Friday that would person taken the decease punishment disconnected the array for 3 prisoners accused of helping to crippled the Sept. 11, 2001, violent attacks.
Austin said successful a news release that helium believes that fixed the value of the case, work connected what happens to the prisoners held astatine Guantanamo Bay “should remainder with maine arsenic the superior authorization nether the Military Commissions Act of 2009.”
Earlier this week, the Pentagon said an statement had been reached with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak bin Attash and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi. Under the plea deal, the 3 prisoners would person received beingness sentences.
Retired Brig. Gen. Susan K. Escallier signed a pretrial statement Wednesday.
In the Friday memo, the Pentagon caput wrote “effective immediately, successful the workout of my authority, I hereby retreat from the 3 pretrial agreements that you signed connected July 31, 2024.” The New York Times first reported the memo.
Escallier’s support of the plea woody drew blowback from immoderate families of the victims, New York City firefights and high-profile Republicans.
Some critics besides said the statement would forestall the nationalist from ever knowing what truly happened astir 23 years ago. Republicans are directing their disapproval astatine President Biden and Vice President Harris, adjacent though the White House said it did not play a relation successful the negotiations.
On Friday, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), seat of the House Armed Services Committee, sent a missive to Austin demanding answers astir the plea deal. He said helium was "deeply shocked" by the statement and said it was a "gut punch" to the families of victims.
