Federal Court Temporarily Blocks Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's Guilty Plea in 9/11 Case
A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked guilty pleas from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, accused 9/11 mastermind, complicating ongoing legal proceedings.
Politics
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Summary
A federal appeals court has intervened to temporarily block Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's guilty plea deal related to the 9/11 attacks, which had aimed to avoid the death penalty. The Biden administration's last-minute efforts were successful in delaying the plea, pending further consideration of the legal arguments. This decision marks a significant setback in a long-running military prosecution. Relatives of 9/11 victims expressed frustration and division over the plea agreement, which could have provided finality in the two-decade-old case. The court's ruling does not indicate a final decision on the merits of the case.
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From the Right
The Biden administration's effort to block the plea deal is seen as an overreach of executive power that undermines military authority and fails to respect the legal processes already established by military prosecutors.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's intervention is criticized as a politically motivated maneuver rather than a genuine attempt to seek justice, especially given the timing of the actions just before significant deadlines.
The right emphasizes the viewpoint that the plea deals fail to deliver justice for the families of 9/11 victims, as they prevent a public trial that could provide closure and accountability, effectively allowing the accused to avoid the death penalty by accepting deals negotiated in lieu of facing trial.
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Highlights (9)
The Biden administration is pushing to throw out a plea agreement that its own Defense Department had negotiated with Mohammed and two 9/11 co-defendants.
Biden administration temporarily blocks 9/11 plea deal
Military Times
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"I think by delaying this to the next administration, the Biden administration failed the families of 9/11. For whatever political agenda they had."
Appeals court pauses plea proceedings in alleged 9/11 architect Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's case
CBS News
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The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the stay Thursday just hours before a plea hearing was expected on Friday for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, or KSM, the alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks.
Appeals court temporarily blocks 9/11 plea deals
The Hill
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The plea deals, offered to Mohammed and two co-conspirators, were meant as a way to wrap up the quest for justice to those who have been waiting more than two decades to see the terrorists that killed their loved ones convicted.
FOX News
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The US government failed the 9/11 families again. They had the chance to do the right thing and decided not to.
9/11 guilty pleas delayed after government opposition
BBC News
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To Eagleson, it’s infuriating that the issue has affected the viability of a trial. What happened to the defendants in custody is “not my mom’s fault. It’s not my brother’s fault. It’s not the lives of 3,000 dead Americans’ fault.”
With 9/11 plea deals in flux, victims' families sort through their feelings
Associated Press
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Defense lawyers in a filing late Wednesday described Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s attempts to throw out a plea deal that his own military had negotiated and approved as the latest in two decades of “fitful” and “negligent” mishandling of the case by the U.S. military and successive administrations.
Lawyers for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed battle to let his guilty plea go forward
Boston Herald
·Leans RightThe underlying sources generally maintain reliability but have, at times, included opinion pieces, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies. While typically factual, there may be occasional editorialization or subjective interpretation.Mostly Reliable
Defense lawyers in a filing late Wednesday described Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's attempts to throw out a plea deal that his own military had negotiated and approved as the latest in two decades of “fitful" and “negligent" mishandling of the case by the U.S. military and successive administrations.
Lawyers for accused 9/11 mastermind battle to let his guilty plea go forward
ABC News
·CenterThe underlying sources consistently report facts with minimal bias. They demonstrate high-quality journalism and accuracy across multiple articles.Reliable
Defense lawyers in a filing late Wednesday described Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's attempts to throw out a plea deal that his own military had negotiated and approved as the latest in two decades of “fitful" and “negligent" mishandling of the case by the U.S. military and successive administrations.
Lawyers for Accused 9/11 Mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Battle to Let His Guilty Plea Go Forward
Newsmax
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