U.S. Senators Come Forward CONDEMNING Plea Deal For 9/11 Terrorists

Several U.S. Senators over the weekend gave their opinions after Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin overturned a decision to withdraw plea agreements made with three terrorists responsible for the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

After it emerged that the plea agreements, which spared the terrorists from the death penalty if they pleaded guilty to the attacks that killed 2,976 people, the administration faced a backlash. The administration removed retired Brig. Gen. Susan K. Escallier, who came up with the plea deal, from running the case and revoked the plea offer.

Khalid Sheik Mohammed, who was behind the 9/11 attacks, as well as Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, would have received sentences of life imprisonment if they pleaded guilty in the pre-trial deals.

“We are glad that Secretary Austin came to his senses, heeded our warning, and decided to take the concerns of 9/11 victims and families seriously,” said a joint statement from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR).

“The Biden-Harris Administration’s consideration of a plea deal with terrorist mass murderers was disgraceful. America deserves a Commander-in-Chief committed to peace through strength, not chaos through weakness,” the statement continued. “The President must know that we continue to watch this situation closely. The Justice for 9/11 Act is introduced, and if the Administration ever changes course, we stand ready to overturn any future cowardly plea deals with the murderous mastermind of that tragic day.”

The senators added that the U.S. “must never flinch in holding terrorists accountable for their actions.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said that the administration was “correct to reverse course after receiving letters from @GOPoversight and @HASCRepublicans launching investigations into this terrible plea deal.”

“Now deliver long awaited justice for 9/11 families,” he added.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) also commented on the reversal, posting on X: “I firmly believe that Secretary Austin did the right thing and exercised good command judgement by revoking the plea deal for the 9/11 mastermind and his accomplices.”

“The previous plea deal would have sent absolutely the wrong signal to terrorists throughout the world,” he continued. “I know the families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks will appreciate this — as do I.”