Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revokes plea deal for alleged 9/11 terrorists

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has withdrawn a controversial plea deal for the three men accused of planning the 9/11 attacks. He signed a memo reserving the authority to enter into pre-trial agreements with the accused and withdrew from the existing agreements. This decision came after a plea deal negotiation involving Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi. The terms of the revoked deal are unknown, but the accused were expected to plead guilty to lesser charges to avoid the death penalty. The decision was met with criticism from families of victims and members of Congress, prompting an investigation by the House Oversight Committee into the White House’s role in the deal. Former Attorney General Eric Holder also criticized the deal. The Defense Department and the White House declined to comment further on the situation. The accused were scheduled to appear at a hearing in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, next week. Austin’s decision to withdraw from the plea deal negotiations highlights the significance of the decision and ensures that responsibility for such decisions rests with him as the defense secretary.

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