Pretrial Deal for Alleged 9/11 Plotters Announced

The US has reached a pretrial deal with 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-accused, removing the death penalty option. They will plead guilty, bringing partial closure after years of delays primarily due to the questions on evidence admissibility from interrogations involving torture.

The US has announced a pretrial deal with alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a Kuwaiti-Pakistani engineer, along with two co-accused. This agreement follows 27 months of negotiations and removes the death sentence for Mohammed, Walid Bin 'Attash, and Mustafa al Hawsawi. They are expected to plead guilty soon.

The deal, announced by the Department of Defense, aims to conclude a case that has faced numerous delays over the admissibility of evidence acquired through torture. Mohammed and his co-accused have been held in Guantanamo Bay for nearly two decades, with their trial repeatedly postponed.

The families of the nearly 3,000 victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks have mixed reactions, with many having hoped for the death penalty. However, plea bargains became the most viable resolution given the circumstances. Amnesty International USA lauded the agreement for ensuring some accountability and justice for the victims and survivors.

(With inputs from agencies.)