21 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a plea deal may be in the works for the five men awaiting trial in Guantanamo Bay.

Ryan Robertson Anchor/Investigative Reporter

Report: Plea deal in the works for 9/11 terrorists

Sep 13, 2022

Ryan Robertson Anchor/Investigative Reporter

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor/Investigative Reporter)

It’s been 21 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Five men, including the self-described mastermind, are still in the Guantanamo Bay prison awaiting trial for their roles in the attacks. Now, according to CBS News, a plea deal for those five men may be in the works.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed already claimed credit for planning the 9/11 attacks. He and four co-defendants were moved to the military’s Guantanamo Bay detention facility after being held by the CIA.

The plea deal being negotiated for the detainees could potentially take the death penalty off the table in exchange for guilty pleas and a promise from the defendants not to appeal. Lawyers for the defendants said their clients want to bring this forever trial to a close, and obtain medical care for the injuries received during CIA interrogations which critics called torture.

Proponents of the plea deal, including some victims’ families, said it would serve as partial recognition of the torture each of the defendants experienced and bring some measure of judicial finality.

But there are obviously people, including victims’ families, who are opposed to any plea deal. Debra Burlingame’s brother was the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, the plane hijackers crashed into the Pentagon. She told CBS News she is outraged over the plea deal. She said she doesn’t want closure, she wants justice.

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IT’S BEEN 21 YEARS SINCE THE 9/11 TERRORIST ATTACKS.

FIVE MEN, INCLUDING THE SELF-DESCRIBED MASTERMIND, ARE STILL IN THE GUANTANAMO BAY PRISON AWAITING TRIAL FOR THEIR ROLES IN THE ATTACKS.

AND NOW, ACCORDING TO CBS NEWS, A PLEA DEAL FOR THOSE FIVE MEN MAY BE IN THE WORKS.

KHALID SHEIKH MOHAMMED ALREADY CLAIMED CREDIT FOR PLANNING THE 9/11 ATTACKS. HE AND FOUR CO-DEFENDANTS WERE MOVED TO THE MILITARY’S GUANTANAMO BAY DETENTION FACILITY AFTER BEING HELD BY THE CIA.

THE PLEA DEAL BEING NEGOTIATED FOR THE DETAINEES COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE THE DEATH PENALTY OFF THE TABLE IN EXCHANGE FOR GUILTY PLEAS AND A PROMISE FROM THE DEFENDANTS NOT TO APPEAL.

LAWYERS FOR THE DEFENDANTS SAY THEIR CLIENTS WANT TO BRING THIS FOREVER TRIAL TO A CLOSE, AND OBTAIN MEDICAL CARE FOR THE INJURIES RECEIVED DURING CIA INTERROGATIONS, WHICH CRITICS CALL TORTURE.

PROPONENTS OF THE PLEA DEAL, INCLUDING SOME VICTIM’S FAMILIES, SAY IT WOULD SERVE AS PARTIAL RECOGNITION OF THE TORTURE EACH OF THE DEFENDANTS EXPERIENCED AND BRING SOME MEASURE OF JUDICIAL FINALITY.

BUT THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE, INCLUDING VICTIMS’ FAMILIES, WHO ARE OPPOSED TO ANY PLEA DEAL.

DEBRA BURLINGAME’S BROTHER WAS THE PILOT OF AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 77, THE PLANE HIJACKERS CRASHED INTO THE PENTAGON.

SHE TOLD CBS NEWS SHE’S OUTRAGED OVER THE PLEA DEAL, SAYING SHE DOESN’T WANT CLOSURE. SHE WANTS JUSTICE.