Pentagon Appeals to Halt Guantanamo Bay Plea Deals - National Security Update
The Pentagon is urgently requesting a federal appeals court to thwart a military judge’s approval of plea agreements made with a 9/11 mastermind and two co-defendants in the infamous attacks.
Legal Battle Unfolds
In a swift maneuver at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, the Justice Department, on behalf of the department, is urging the federal judges to intervene and validate Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s reversal of the plea deals.
“This decision contradicts the Secretary’s informed assessment regarding the appropriate resolution of a case of unparalleled national significance,” noted Brian Fletcher, principal deputy solicitor general. “Preserving the Secretary of Defense’s prerogative to make pivotal determinations regarding the prosecution of individuals allegedly linked to those assaults is crucial and justifies the grant of extraordinary relief.”
Reversal of Agreements
Austin rescinded the pre-trial accords made with the detainees in August, all detained at Guantanamo Bay.
However, a ruling in November upheld the validity of the plea deals and dismissed Austin’s directive to nullify them.
Legal Twist
In a surprising turn in December, a military appellate court ruled against Austin’s plea to invalidate the agreements for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other assailants in the 9/11 incidents. The verdict reinstated the decision allowing the trio to admit guilt and potentially evade capital punishment for orchestrating the al-Qaeda offensives that claimed nearly 3,000 lives on September 11, 2001.
The Defense Department refrained from immediate commentary on the matter.
