9/11 plotters reach plea deal over 20 years after the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil

WASHINGTON - The mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks and two of his accomplices have reached a plea deal over two decades after the deadliest terrorist attack on United States soil.

All three men have been in U.S. custody since 2003, spending time at Guantánamo and other overseas prisons.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his two accomplices, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, have agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. The plea agreement avoids what would have been a lengthy and complicated death penalty trial against Mohammed.

This deal comes more than 20 years after the al-Qaeda attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. Militants of the organization hijacked four commercial airliners and crashed two planes into the Twin Towers in New York City and a third into the Pentagon. The fourth plane was headed toward Washington, D.C. when passengers attempted to interfere, causing the plane to crash in a Pennsylvania field.

Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, Anthony D. Romero, argued that the plea agreement was both the only and justified option.

"It’s also the only practical solution after nearly two decades of litigation," said Romero. "For too long, the U.S. has repeatedly defended its use of torture and unconstitutional military tribunals at Guantánamo Bay. The military commissions were doomed from the start and the government’s torture of these defendants makes this plea both necessary and just. Finally, closing the chapter on these cases with a plea agreement will also provide a measure of transparency and justice for 9/11 family members."

But the families of September 11th victims feel differently.

"For me personally, I wanted to see a trial," said Terry Strada. Strada’s husband died on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower. "And they just took away the justice I was expecting, a trial and the punishment."

As part of the plea agreement, the defendants agreed to answer written questions from the surviving victims and victims’ families about their roles and reasons for the attacks. Families now have 45 days to submit questions to be answered by the co-conspirators by the end of the year.

"The fact that there are now potential plea deals being offered right at the anniversary, it’s just a horrible, terrible feeling of betrayal," said Strada. "I mean, justice has not been served in two decades. How much more do they expect the families to be able to take? People are dying without seeing justice done."

Guantánamo prosecutors said the defendants could formally plead guilty as early as next week, but the case will continue for at least another year.