A prominent senator has voiced his opposition to revoking plea deals for suspected 9/11 terrorists, calling the move “deeply disappointing.”
Surviving the US military presence in Afghanistan, the self-confessed mastermind behind the deaths of 2,977 victims and counting since September 11, 2001, made headlines again when the Defense Department reached a preliminary settlement at the trial that supposedly took the death penalty off the table.
Now, after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin used his authority to revoke the deal, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin (D) used his platform as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to call on the the administration that reversed course.
“I urge Secretary Austin to reverse this deeply disappointing decision, which denies purpose and justice to the families of 9/11,” the senator said, sharing a Reuters report, “and once again exposes the lack of independence that has haunted the military commissions since the beginning.”
I urge Secretary Austin to reverse this deeply disappointing decision, which denies purpose and justice to the families of 9/11 and once again exposes the lack of independence that has dogged the military commissions from the beginning. https://t.co/75aFCyhQtq
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) August 4, 2024
As reported, the DoD initially entered into pretrial agreements with Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi that would protect the alleged 9/11 terrorists from the death penalty in Guantanamo Bay. Cuba, instead of setting them to life imprisonment.
Amid massive backlash over the announcement, with the court of public opinion enraged that the prisoners had not yet been given a fast-track to learn firsthand the truth about their 72 pledged virgins, Austin issued a note Friday that said: “I have determined that, in view of the importance of the decision to enter into pretrial agreements with the defendant in the above-mentioned case, the responsibility for that decision should rest with me as the higher convening authority under the Military Commissions Act of 2009”.
“Effective immediately, I am withdrawing your authority in the above-mentioned case to enter into a pre-trial settlement agreement and I am reserving that authority,” he added, withdrawing from the agreements signed on July 31, 2024.
Before Austin's decision, Durbin tried to sell the settlements as closure for victims' families while blaming former President George W. Bush's administration for using “unproven military commissions.”
“I commend the military prosecutors for finally delivering a small measure of justice and finality to the victims and their loved ones,” he wrote after the settlements were reported.
After all these years, the victims of 9/11 and their families deserve justice and closure. The Bush Administration's disastrous decision to torture detainees and create untested military commissions made a fair trial impossible. https://t.co/Nx4PasiJ2h
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) July 31, 2024
Meanwhile, it was the deal itself that left the families”disgusted and disappointed.”
Speaking on behalf of the 343 firefighters who were among the first to sacrifice their lives Tuesday morning knowingly running toward danger, each of those who have since suffered and their families, the president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association of FDNY Andrew Ansbro said in a statement Thursday: “On behalf of the firefighters of New York City, especially the survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attack who live with the illnesses and injuries inflicted on us that day, we are disgusted and disappointed that these three terrorists were given a plea deal and allowed to escape ultimate justice while three more FDNY heroes die each month from illnesses at the World Trade Center.”
Similar sentiments were shared in response to Durbin's call to return to the plea deal, as demands for real justice rang out.
People need to vote this guy out, he cares more about terrorists than Americans….
— Jake Montoya (@xZOMBIEEx79) August 5, 2024
A terrorist sympathizer what does he say! They deserve the death penalty. period They should have been killed years ago. Liberals love killing babies but not terrorists!
— Lisa Marie (@lisa_avery31597) August 5, 2024
With all due respect, sir, I don't think plea deals will give families any closure.
— Malea J (@mommamamalea) August 4, 2024
As someone who actually lost a loved one on 9/11, I'm going to need you to hear this sir…don't speak for me or my family. The fact that they have not yet been sentenced to death is frustrating enough.
— Jenn (@PumaSister) August 5, 2024
If ever there was a crime that called for the death penalty… 9/11 is IT. what the hell is wrong with you In fact, they should all have been executed years ago.
— EscapedFromLA (@EscapedFromLA2) August 5, 2024
No! You cannot make this shameful decision. The families of the rescuers and all the civilians who were killed that day yes. never forget
— Denise (@puckandtitania) August 5, 2024
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