Whale Large Capital
  • Politics
  • World News
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • World News
  • Business
  • Investing

Whale Large Capital

World News

Biden administration asks court to block plea deal for alleged mastermind of 9/11 attacks

by January 8, 2025
January 8, 2025
Biden administration asks court to block plea deal for alleged mastermind of 9/11 attacks

The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court on Tuesday to block a plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed that would spare him the risk of the death penalty.

The Justice Department argued in a brief filed with a federal appeals court in the District of Columbia that the government would be irreparably harmed if the guilty pleas were accepted for Mohammed and two co-defendants in the September 11, 2001, attacks.

It said the government would be denied a chance for a public trial and the opportunity to “seek capital punishment against three men charged with a heinous act of mass murder that caused the death of thousands of people and shocked the nation and the world.”

The Defense Department negotiated and approved the plea deal but later repudiated it. Attorneys for the defendants argue the deal is already legally in effect and that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who began the administration’s efforts to throw it out, acted too late.

When the appeal was filed Tuesday, family members of some the nearly 3,000 people killed in the a al Qaeda attacks already were gathered at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to hear Mohammed’s scheduled guilty plea Friday. The other two men, accused of lesser roles in 9/11, were due to enter them next week.

Family members have been split on the deal, with some calling it the best resolution possible for a prosecution mired for more than a decade in pretrial hearings and legal and logistical difficulties. Others demanded a trial and – they hoped – execution.

Some legal experts have warned that the legal challenges posed by the case, including the men’s torture under CIA custody after their capture, could keep the aging detainees from ever facing verdicts and any possible sentences.

Military prosecutors this summer notified families of the victims that the senior Pentagon official overseeing Guantanamo had approved a plea deal after more than two years of negotiations. The deal was “the best path to finality and justice,” military prosecutors said.

But some family members and Republican lawmakers condemned the deal and the Biden administration for reaching it.

Austin has fought unsuccessfully since August to throw out the agreement, saying that a decision on death penalties in an attack as grave as the September 11 plot should only be made by the defense secretary.

A military judge at Guantanamo and a military appeals panel rejected those efforts, saying he had no power to throw out the agreement after it had been approved by the senior Pentagon official for Guantanamo.

Defense attorneys say the plea agreement was approved by Austin’s own officials and military prosecutors and that his intervention was unlawful political interference in the justice system.

The Justice Department brief Tuesday said the defendants would not be harmed by a short delay, given that the prosecution has been ongoing since 2012 and the plea agreements would likely result in them serving long prison sentences, potentially for the rest of their lives.

“A short delay to allow this Court to weigh the merits of the government’s request in this momentous case will not materially harm the respondents,” the government argued.

The Justice Department criticized the military commission judge for a ruling that it said “improperly curtailed” the defense secretary’s authority in a “case of unique national importance.” Preserving that authority “is a matter of critical importance warranting the issuance of extraordinary relief,” the government’s filing said.

This post appeared first on cnn.com
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Fact-checking firm staffed by CNN alums takes Meta axing hard: ‘surprised and disappointed’
next post
Democrats hold on to open state legislature seats in Virginia special elections

You may also like

Kenyan youth call for ‘mother of all protests’...

August 8, 2024

Israel accepts new US proposal for ceasefire with...

May 29, 2025

Daughter of crypto boss escapes Paris kidnap attempt...

May 14, 2025

At least 13 dead after navy boat and...

December 18, 2024

King Charles acknowledges ‘painful’ history as he opens...

October 25, 2024

Frontrunner for German Chancellor vows stricter immigration policies...

February 4, 2025

UN members vote to demand Israel end occupation...

September 18, 2024

Sudan at a ‘breaking point’ as civil war...

August 13, 2024

Friedrich Merz Fast Facts

June 10, 2025

Israel, US in talks to resume aid deliveries...

May 3, 2025

    Subscribe today to receive exclusive access to all our retirement secrets and income strategies, including special financial news and updates from our experts. From time to time, our newsletters feature valuable insights and analysis on the latest financial trends. Don't miss out on these exclusive updates – join our subscription to stay informed!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.



    Latest

    • State Department says 59,000 tons of food assistance are in motion after reports of incinerated aid

      July 18, 2025
    • Pentagon to probe Microsoft’s use of Chinese engineers on sensitive defense systems, Hegseth says

      July 18, 2025
    • GOP senator reveals the ‘dirty’ secret to Trump’s Make America Healthy Again movement

      July 18, 2025
    • Russia says NATO threatens WWIII in latest deterrence plan that could take down Kaliningrad ‘faster than ever’

      July 18, 2025
    • Pro-Israel congressman accuses Tel Aviv of ‘mocking’ Trump with ‘suicidal’ strikes in Syria

      July 18, 2025
    • House Republicans face mounting resistance as third ex-Biden WH aide pleads Fifth Amendment

      July 18, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (721)
    • Investing (661)
    • Politics (4,977)
    • World News (3,213)
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact us
    • About us

    Disclaimer: WhaleLargeCapital.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 WhaleLargeCapital.com | All Rights Reserved