9/11 mastermind faces death sentence: Trial at Guantanamo Bay could seal Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's fate

Time of India

6 days ago

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
, the alleged chief architect of the
September 11 attacks
that altered the course of US history, might now be facing the
death penalty
after a plea bargain, which would have saved his life, was rejected by a US court, as per a report.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Might Soon Face Death Penalty
Mohammed, imprisoned at
Guantanamo Bay
since 2006, had pleaded guilty for a life term, along with two other men, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, struck a deal on July 31 to escape the death penalty, reported The Sun.
He and al-Hawsawi were captured after a joint CIA and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence operation in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi in 2003, according to the report. After which Mohammed spent three years in secret prisons before arriving at Guantanamo in 2006, according to The Sun report. Mohammed reportedly planned out the deadly
9/11 attacks
from "A to Z", and was also involved in a string of major plots against the United States, where he attended university, as reported by The Sun. Meanwhile, Walid bin Attash was captured in Karachi, Pakistan, in April 2003, as per the report.
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The deal would lead the trio to be prevented from the death penalty and remain jailed on the southern portion of the American Naval base in Cuba, reported The Sun.
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Court Rejects Plea Agreement, Orders Full Trial
However, that agreement was met with fury by the 9/11 attacks victims' relatives as they opposed the decision, as per the report.
A US appeals court on Friday rejected the agreement and ordered that both they and the American public deserved to see the defendants stand trial, as reported by The Sun.
Ex-Defense Secretary Intervenes to Halt the Deal
The former Secretary of Defence under the Biden administration,
Lloyd Austin
, had tried to stop the agreement by filing a motion to a military appeals court, according to the report. In his brief, he mentioned the magnitude of the 9/11 attacks and argued that as defence secretary, he should decide on any plea deals that would save the trio from the death penalty, as reported by The Sun.
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Judges Uphold Defense Secretary's Authority
Judges Patricia Millett and Neomi Rao wrote in a ruling on Friday that Austin "acted within the bounds of his legal authority, and we decline to second-guess his judgment," as quoted in the report.
What Are Politicians Saying About the Plea Deal?
Even Congressional lawmakers have also slammed the plea deal, saying that it a "national disgrace" and a "total miscarriage of justice," reported The Sun.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said, "The plea deal with terrorists – including Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks that killed thousands of Americans – is a revolting abdication of the government's responsibility to defend America and provide justice," as quoted in the report. McConnell highlighted that, "The only thing worse than negotiating with terrorists is negotiating with them after they are in custody," as quoted in the report.
FAQs
Who is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed?
He's the man accused of planning the 9/11 attacks that devastated the US in 2001, as per The Sun report.
Could Mohammed still get the death penalty?
Yes, since the plea deal was rejected, the death sentence is back on the table, as per The Sun report.