The Biden administration is urging a federal appeals court to halt a plea deal that would have the alleged architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and two alleged accomplices avoiding the death penalty.
The government’s motion, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, seeks to stop a plea hearing in the case against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed from proceeding. The hearing is scheduled for Friday at Guantanamo Bay, where the suspected terrorist has been held since 2006.
While details of the agreements remain under seal, Tuesday’s motion suggests that Mohammed and two co-defendants, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, would plead guilty to the seven charges against them that include murder, conspiracy, hijacking aircraft, and terrorism. Five of those charges are punishable by death….