Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin revoked plea deals on Friday that would have spared the death penalty for the accused mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and two alleged accomplices.
In a memo, Austin, 70, announced that he relieved the official responsible for signing off on the plea agreements from authority and that he assumed control of the Convening Authority for Military Commissions.
“I have determined that, in light of the significance of the decision to enter into pre-trial
agreements with the accused in the above-referenced case, responsibility for such a decision should rest with me as the superior convening authority under the Military Commissions Act of 2009,” Austin wrote.
“Effective immediately, I hereby withdraw your authority in the above-referenced case to
enter into a pre-trial agreement and reserve such authority to myself,” he continued.
“Effective immediately, in the exercise of my authority, I hereby withdraw from the three pre-trial agreements that you signed on July 31, 2024 in the above-referenced case.”