The US government has temporarily blocked Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and two co-defendants from pleading guilty amid a dispute over pre-trial agreements. These deals, reached last summer, would have spared the defendants the death penalty in exchange for guilty pleas to all charges.
In a filing with a federal appeals court, the government argued that accepting the pleas would deny the opportunity to seek capital punishment and harm the American people. A three-judge panel paused the proceedings, stating the delay is not a ruling on the case’s merits but allows time for further review.
The plea agreements have drawn mixed reactions from families of 9/11 victims. Some criticized the deals as lenient, while others viewed them as a way to advance the decades-long case.
The case has faced delays due to debates over the admissibility of evidence, which includes confessions obtained under torture during CIA custody. Mohammed, arrested in 2003, was waterboarded 183 times.
If upheld, the plea deals would lead to a sentencing hearing where a military jury would consider evidence, and survivors and victims’ families could provide statements and question Mohammed directly.
The appeals court’s decision allows judges to review the government’s request on an expedited basis, potentially delaying further progress in the high-profile case.
