Biden Administration Blocks Plea Deal for 9/11 Mastermind

The Biden administration has successfully halted a plea deal for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks, which could have spared him from the death penalty. A federal appeals panel granted a temporary stay following the government's request, complicating an already lengthy prosecution process that began over twenty years ago. Family members of 9/11 victims were present at Guantanamo Bay for the scheduled plea hearing, which has now been interrupted by the administration's legal maneuvering. The administration's opposition puts it at odds with military officials who had initially brokered the deal, raising questions about oversight in such significant proceedings. The plea deal aimed to provide closure by allowing victims' families to hear testimony and question the defendants, but has faced backlash from the defense who argue it undermines justice. This development continues the tumultuous history of the prosecution related to one of the deadliest attacks on U.S. soil.