The stunning reversal of a plea deal for the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 terror attacks and his accomplices on Friday drew praise and demands for justice from victims’ groups and Republican lawmakers.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is correct to reverse course after receiving letters from @GOPoversight and @HASCRepublicans launching investigations into this terrible plea deal,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., posted on X after news broke that Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III had revoked the deal.
“Now deliver long-awaited justice for 9/11 families,” he added.
Pentagon prosecutors sparked national outrage on Thursday when they announced a plea agreement with Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, who are awaiting trial in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The undisclosed terms of the deal removed the death penalty, according to three relatives of 9/11 victims, the New York Post reported.
The World Trade Center attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in the worst terror attack on U.S. soil in American history. Families of the victims, groups representing them, and lawmakers expressed bewilderment and fury that those who planned the attack might not be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The House Oversight and Armed Services Committees separately announced investigations into the plea deals, which Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., called “unconscionable.”
However, that deal was rescinded after Austin relieved the official in charge of the military commission who had signed off on the agreement and assumed their authority himself.
“Effective immediately, in the exercise of my authority, I hereby withdraw from the three pretrial agreements that you signed on July 31, 2024,” the secretary wrote in a short memo on Friday.
The defense secretary did not explain why he had not intervened before the plea deals were signed and publicly released.
Nonetheless, his swift action to reverse course won praise from 9/11 Families United, a group that represents the victims’ families and survivors of the Sept. 11 attacks.
“Defense Secretary Austin is displaying America’s strength with this decision, that America does not negotiate with terrorists,” said Terry Strada, national chair for 9/11 Families United. “The media amplified our outcries for justice, and the same mercy will be given for the three detainees at Guantánamo Bay that murdered my husband: none.”
She called on Congress to pass the Ensuring Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, which would allow the families of victims of terrorism to seek financial compensation from foreign sponsors of terrorism.
“We need to send the same strong message to the sponsors of terrorism: if you harm Americans on American soil, we will hold you accountable in a U.S. court, and justice will be served,” Strada said.
Several New York Republican lawmakers applauded the defense secretary’s decision but demanded that Khalid Shaikh Mohammad and the other Sept. 11 terrorists face trial for their crimes and receive the maximum sentence.
“Grateful to see that @SecDef Austin made the right decision in response to calls from myself & colleagues. Failing to hold these terrorists accountable for the atrocities they committed would be an insult to victims’ families and send the wrong message to our enemies,” said Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., urged Pentagon prosecutors to quickly proceed to trial.
“Good,” she posted on X. “Anything less than the pursuit of the death penalty is unacceptable. Thanks to everyone who spoke out to demand real justice, not a sweetheart deal for terrorists. Now let’s set the trial date.”
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito echoed that demand: “Now, it’s time for Sec. Austin & President Biden to put an end to this 23-year-long nightmare by expediting the execution of these terrorists and delivering justice for the families of those affected by 9/11.”
Top Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have not commented on the plea agreement or Austin’s reversal. The White House referred Fox News Digital to the Defense Department for comment.
Other victims’ groups swiftly responded to both the deal and the Biden-Harris administration’s about-face.
Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York, told Fox News that this was a big relief for the families of victims of the 9/11 terror attacks.
“The families of our 9/11 heroes channeled their anguish and outrage into a powerful message. It’s thanks to their courage that these shameful plea agreements have been reversed,” Hendry said.
“We are relieved and grateful, but the job is not done yet. As we have said from the beginning, these terrorists who claimed so many innocent lives should receive the ultimate punishment. The safety of our nation demands it, and the long-suffering families of the fallen deserve nothing less.”
9/11 Justice President Brett Eagleson said his group is “astounded and deeply frustrated” that victims’ families were not notified or consulted about the plea agreement or its subsequent revocation.
“These monsters need to be forced to share every piece of information they have about the attacks and be held fully accountable for the murder of our loved ones. It’s not just about punishment, it’s about uncovering the full truth,” said Eagleson.
“Our quest for truth and justice remains unwavering. We demand that the administration ensure these individuals provide vital information regarding the 9/11 attacks, including the extent of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s involvement. The American people and the families of the nearly 3,000 victims deserve to know every detail. This decision should not hinder our efforts to hold those responsible, including the Saudi government, accountable for their roles in this horrific tragedy.”
He called for the revocation of these plea deals to bring “greater transparency and accountability.”
The Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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