Justice took an unexpected twist on Wednesday when three 9/11 masterminds struck a plea deal to escape death row.

According to the US Department of Defense, a pretrial agreement has been reached with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa al Hawsawi. They have all agreed to plead guilty to all charges, thus effectively removing the possibility of capital punishment.

Join the JBN+ WhatsApp Group

As part of the deal, the terrorists must answer written questions from surviving victims and families about their roles and motivations for the deadly attacks. Families now have 45 days to submit their questions, with answers expected by year’s end.

Federal prosecutors were quick to defend their actions to the public, who were shocked by the plea deal considering the scale of the terrorists crimes on 9/11.

“We recognize that the status of the case in general, and this news in particular, will understandably and appropriately elicit intense emotion, and we also realize that the decision to enter into a pre-trial agreement will be met with mixed reactions amongst the thousands of family members who lost loved ones,” prosecutors wrote in a letter obtained by CNN.

“The decision to enter into a pre-trial agreement was not reached lightly; however, it is our collective, reasoned, and good-faith judgment that this resolution is the best path to finality and justice in this case.”

Fraught with legal complications and delays, the case against these mass murderers has been ongoing for over two decades. Following their capture in Pakistan in 2003, the terrorists were charged in 2008 with a litany of crimes, including conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, and terrorism.

At the time, the US government initially sought the death penalty for them. However, efforts to bring a solid case faced numerous setbacks. The use of torture in secret CIA prisons during the 2000s raised questions about the admissibility of evidence. Further delays were caused by the resignation of two judges and the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite avoiding execution, the terrorists will be sentenced next summer which will determine the length of their prison sentences.

    webech August 3, 2024 3:32 am

    Hi Neat post Theres an issue together with your web site in internet explorer may test this IE still is the marketplace chief and a good component of people will pass over your fantastic writing due to this problem

Comments (1)