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In a tragic mockery of justice, the U.S. has reached a plea agreement with terrorist planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his accomplices, allowing them to escape the death penalty for the slayings of nearly 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001.
The families of the victims, who have long endured suffering, expected and merited justice, but many will be left feeling betrayed and disillusioned by their government’s cowardly capitulation.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell voiced the outrage shared by many when he remarked, “The Biden-Harris Administration’s inability to confront sworn enemies of the American people appears boundless.” He labeled the accepted pleas a disgraceful abandonment of duty.
9/11 PLOTTER AND 2 OTHERS ENTER PLEA DEALS WHILE AWAITING TRIAL; VICTIM FAMILIES ‘DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED’
It is already disgraceful that this case has lingered for 21 years in a military tribunal impeded by unscrupulous defense lawyers and a continuous rotation of ineffective judges and incompetent prosecutors. A decade ago, I criticized the ineffective handling of what should have been a straightforward set of criminal charges.
Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. (Associated Press) (Associated Press)
Evidence was never lacking. Mohammed confessed during interrogation at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after his capture in 2003 and boasted of his despicable actions. “I was responsible for the 9/11 operation, from A to Z,” he claimed. Furthermore, substantial evidence supported an astounding 169 clear acts that led to the horrific murder that day.
Yet the government’s continuous mistakes were exacerbated by then-President Barack Obama, who decided, disregarding the families of victims, to abandon the military case for a federal court trial, effectively rescuing the defendants from impending convictions and likely executions.
FDNY UNION CONDEMN 9/11 PLEA DEAL: ‘WE ARE APPALLED AND DISAPPOINTED’
The uproar of public disapproval and an act of Congress ultimately compelled Obama to change course, returning the legal proceedings back to square one. However, in a spiteful act, he intensified the legal confusion by issuing an executive order to unilaterally modify the Manual for Military Commissions that regulates procedures.
To his credit, President Trump ordered that no plea deals would be accepted. He refused to bargain with terrorists, even in a military setting. The prosecutions progressed, only to stagnate when Joe Biden took office.
Obama’s reckless interference incited an endless series of ridiculous delays due to baseless motions and trivial appeals. The principle of a speedy trial, guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment and incorporated into military law, was overlooked. Any semblance of urgency was cast aside. The grieving families of 9/11 were nearly forgotten, and their unfathomable sorrow was disregarded.
To his credit, President Trump directed that no plea deals would be accepted. He refused to negotiate with terrorists, even in a military court. The prosecutions advanced, only to deteriorate when Joe Biden assumed office.
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In addition to being the mastermind behind the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil, Mohammed confessed to personally decapitating Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in a horrific act captured on video. He also acknowledged his role in the attempted bombing of a passenger jet over the Atlantic Ocean by “shoe bomber” Richard Reid.
In his confessions, Mohammed expressed a desire for martyrdom for the Al Qaeda cause. However, arrogant cowards often change their tune as their end approaches.
Mohammad and his 9/11 accomplices have been held for two decades at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. (AP)
Now, in a national disgrace, our government has opted to appease Mohammed and his fellow terrorists by freeing them from death sentences. This sends a clear message to terrorists worldwide that the U.S. is vulnerable. They, too, can kill Americans without fear of facing the ultimate punishment.
Biden claims he was uninvolved in the decision. Do not believe it. Halting the prosecutions brings him closer to his campaign promise of closing the Gitmo facility. He shows no concern for justice or the sorrow and suffering of thousands of families who lost loved ones and continue to grieve.
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In this unfortunate manner, the lives lost on 9/11 did indeed perish in vain. This injustice marks an enduring blemish on their cherished memories. A total of two thousand, nine hundred ninety-six individuals had their lives mercilessly taken that day. Yet, their killers are allowed to live.
Today, America is a sorrowful place.
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