Three men accused of aiding in the planning of the September 11 terror attacks, including alleged mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, have negotiated plea deals that will exempt them from the death penalty, according to officials and sources on Wednesday.
An Office of Military Commissions (OMC) spokesperson confirmed that "The Convening Authority for Military Commissions has entered into pretrial agreements with Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, three of the co-accused in the 9/11 case" being held at Guantanamo Bay. The plea agreements ensure that the terror suspects will avoid the death penalty, as reported by three relatives of 9/11 victims who the OMC briefed.
While the specific terms and conditions of the pretrial agreements were not immediately disclosed, the deals are expected to be officially announced on Thursday, with the sentencing to occur at Guantanamo Bay. The defendants are charged with providing training, financial support, and other assistance to the 19 terrorists who hijacked passenger jets and executed the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001.