Torture of 9/11 suspects

A recent Defense Department disagreement has disrupted the military trials of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants accused of masterminding the September 11 attacks, highlighting tensions between victims' families seeking justice and the significant legal obstacles involved. Legal experts attribute the delays primarily to the 'original sin' of illegal torture inflicted on the defendants in CIA custody, complicating the legal proceedings at Guantanamo Bay. An approved plea deal that would have spared the defendants the death penalty was revoked by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin after backlash from victims' families and lawmakers. Austin emphasized the American public's right to see the trials concluded, with Pentagon officials stating that pretrial proceedings will continue. Meanwhile, a CIA spokesperson reiterated that its detention and interrogation program ended in 2009. The situation reflects a growing disillusionment among victims' families regarding the likelihood of achieving a conviction amid these ongoing legal challenges.