Court Upholds Plea Deals for 9/11 Plotters

A military appeals court has upheld plea agreements allowing Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other defendants to plead guilty to their roles in the 9/11 attacks, which spares them from the death penalty. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's attempt to nullify these agreements was deemed outside his authority, as they had already been approved by military prosecutors. The court's decision follows a long negotiation process, with the plea deals originally reached in July 2023, allowing the defendants to serve life sentences instead of facing capital punishment. Critics have expressed outrage over the situation, claiming that Austin's actions undermined the legal process surrounding these significant cases. Meanwhile, the Pentagon continues efforts to reduce the Guantanamo detainee population, recently transferring Ridah bin Saleh al-Yazidi back to Tunisia, leaving 26 detainees remaining at the facility. This series of events highlights ongoing challenges within the U.S. military justice system related to the high-profile 9/11 trials.