Prosecutors have reached a plea deal with several of those involved in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Pretrial agreements have been made with three of the five alleged terrorists, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi.
The plea deal allows the men to avoid the death penalty.
According to the Department of Defense, details relating to the agreements are “not available to the public at this time.”
“The three accused, along with Ali Abdul Aziz Ali and Ramzi Bin al Shibh, were initially charged jointly and arraigned on June 5, 2008, and then were again charged jointly and arraigned a second time on May 5, 2012, in connection with their alleged roles in the September 11, 2001, attacks against the United States,” the release explains.
Families of 9/11 victims received a letter from the Office of Military Commissions (OMC) chief prosecutor, Rear Adm. Aaron C. Rugh, confirming the plea deal.
“In exchange for removal of the death penalty as a possible punishment, these three Accused have agreed to plead guilty to all of the charged offenses, including the murder of the 2,976 people listed in the charge sheet,” the letter read, according to the New York Post.
The plea deal was condemned by both the victims’ families and lawmakers.
“I am very disappointed. We waited patiently for a long time. I wanted the death penalty — the government has failed us,” Daniel D’Allara told the outlet. D’Allara’s twin brother died in the attacks.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) called the plea deal “unacceptable.”
“Any plea deal with the terrorists responsible for killing thousands of Americans, including so many of my constituents, is unacceptable,” she wrote on X. “We owe it to the victims, their families and those 9/11 heroes who continue to suffer and die from related illnesses to pursue the death penalty.”
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) wrote, “Disgusting that these terrorist scumbags are being let off without a trial. 9/11 victims, their families, and our heroic first responders deserve true justice!”
The White House distanced itself from the decision, with a National Security Council spokesperson telling Fox News Digitial it “learned yesterday that the Convening Authority for Military Commissions entered into pretrial agreements, negotiated by military prosecutors, with KSM and other 9/11 defendants.”
“The President and the White House played no role in this process,” the spokesperson said. “The President has directed his team to consult as appropriate with officials and lawyers at the Department of Defense on this matter.”
