A military judge ruled Wednesday that plea deals sparing accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other terrorists the death penalty must remain in effect.
The stunning move comes three months after Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin revoked the shocking plea deals handed out to Mohammed and two alleged accomplices by the Office of Military Commissions in July.
The order, issued by Air Force Col. and Judge Matthew McCall in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was first reported by the Associated Press and has not yet been posted publicly.
Family members of the victims of the heinous terror attack, which killed nearly 3,000, were outraged by the judge’s ruling.
”I am livid that this judge overturned the decision and is allowing these defendants to take a plea deal,” retired police officer, Jimmy Smith, whose wife Moira was killed on Sept. 11, 2001, told The Post.
“They committed the highest crime in this country and they should receive the worst punishment which in this case is the death penalty,” Smith argued. “Also I don’t believe in coincidences, they waited to release this decision until after the election. They overturned it before to help the Democrats in the election.”
Dan D’Allara, twin brother of NYPD officer John D’Allara who was killed on 9/11, told The Post that President-elect Donald Trump should use his executive powers to ensure Mohammed and his accomplices are put to death.
“The first Executive Order President Trump should sign is an Executive Order of Execution for the 5 admitted 9/11 plotters”, D’Allara said. ”They are cowards and they killed a lot of innocent people that day and are continuing to kill people going forward.”
This is a developing story. Check back for more.