Appeals court rejects plea deal for alleged 9/11 attacks mastermind

A federal appeals court has overturned a plea deal for Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and two co-defendants regarding the September 11 attacks, potentially leading to new death penalty proceedings at Guantánamo Bay. The 2-to-1 decision allows further appeals and requires a new judge to review previous confessions, which may have been obtained through torture.

The agreement was initially made in summer 2024 but voided shortly afterward by Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III. Families of victims are divided; some seek death sentences while others want settlements.

John Ryan, who lost colleagues on 9/11, insists on a trial, highlighting the ongoing suffering of victims' families. Future proceedings may review potentially coerced confessions and the judge's role in this complex legal landscape.