A U.S. military appeals court has ruled that plea agreements for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and two accomplices can proceed. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had previously attempted to revoke the deals, but a November ruling deemed his action too late. The court upheld that decision on Monday.
Austin rescinded the Pentagon-negotiated deals in August, citing a lack of consultation in the independent process. The agreements allow the men to plead guilty to the attacks in exchange for avoiding the death penalty. Mohammed, detained at Guantanamo Bay since its establishment in 2002, is accused of orchestrating the 9/11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people and led to the U.S.’s two-decade war in Afghanistan.
Guantanamo Bay, located in Cuba, has faced widespread criticism for torture practices during the U.S.’s “war on terror.” In 2014, then-President Barack Obama acknowledged such practices, calling them “contrary to our values.” Human rights groups and the U.N. continue to demand accountability and an apology from the U.S.
Separately, the Pentagon announced the repatriation of Ridah Bin Saleh Al-Yazidi, a Tunisian national and one of Guantanamo’s longest-held detainees. Detained without charge for over 20 years, Al-Yazidi’s release brings the facility’s population to 26, with 14 eligible for transfer.
The Pentagon declined to comment on the appeals court decision.
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