US reaches plea deal with 9/11 accused Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: What has his role in the attacks?

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, often referred to as the chief architect of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, is on the brink of pleading guilty along with two co-defendants, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi.

This plea agreement, which could potentially spare them from the death penalty, represents a significant turn in the long-delayed legal proceedings. The US Defense Department announced this development, stating that a final deal has not yet been reached, but discussions are underway.

The expected plea deal follows more than two decades of legal and procedural delays, during which the defendants have been held at Guantanamo Bay. The families of 9/11 victims have expressed mixed reactions to this news. While some seek closure and a conclusive end to the case, others, like Terry Strada of 9/11 Families United, expressed dissatisfaction, labelling the defendants as “cowards,” reported AP.

Who is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed?

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, often abbreviated as KSM, is widely recognised as the principal planner behind the 9/11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people and reshaped global security dynamics.

Born in Kuwait to a family from Pakistan’s Baluchistan region, Mohammed was influenced by extremist ideologies from a young age. He joined the Muslim Brotherhood at 16 and later pursued a degree in Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, graduating in 1986.

His militant activities began in the 1980s when he fought against Soviet forces in Afghanistan as part of the mujahedeen. He later traveled to Bosnia during the Yugoslav wars, participating in combat against Serbian forces.

By the mid-1990s, Mohammed had become deeply involved in Al-Qaeda’s operations, planning and executing numerous terrorist plots.

Timeline of key events:

• 1996: Mohammed was indicted for conspiracy to bomb US airliners over the Pacific as part of Operation Bojinka, a plan he devised with his nephew Ramzi Yousef.

• September 11, 2001: Mohammed orchestrated the hijacking of four commercial airplanes, two of which were flown into the World Trade Center towers, one into the Pentagon, and another that crashed in Pennsylvania.

• March 1, 2003: He was captured in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, marking a critical victory in the US war on terror.

• September 6, 2006: The US government confirmed that Mohammed had been detained in a secret CIA prison before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay.

• March 15, 2007: A Pentagon transcript revealed Mohammed’s confession to orchestrating the 9/11 attacks and numerous other terrorist activities.

• February 11, 2008: The US announced plans to seek the death penalty against Mohammed and other key figures in the 9/11 plot.

• June 5, 2008: During his arraignment, Mohammed expressed a desire to represent himself in court and affirmed his willingness to become a martyr.

• April 16, 2009: The release of a memo disclosed that Mohammed had been waterboarded 183 times, igniting a debate over the use of enhanced interrogation techniques.

• November 13, 2009: US officials initially planned to transfer Mohammed and other detainees to New York for trial, but these plans were canceled due to public and political opposition.

• May 31, 2011: The US government refiled capital charges against Mohammed and four others.

• March 2022: Discussions began concerning a potential plea deal to avoid a death penalty trial.

How wide was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s involvement?

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s involvement in global terrorism extends far beyond the 9/11 attacks. He admitted to planning and carrying out the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which killed six people and injured over a thousand.

He also took responsibility for the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings, which killed 202 people, and the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl, which he reportedly carried out personally.

Further, Mohammed confessed to plotting numerous attacks, including the planned bombings of the US Bank Tower in Los Angeles, Heathrow Airport, Big Ben, and Canary Wharf in London.

He also plotted the assassination of Pope John Paul II and considered targeting US nuclear power plants. Additionally, he claimed involvement in the failed “shoe bomber” attempt by Richard Reid to blow up a plane in December 2001.

Where has Khalid Sheikh Mohammed been?

Since his capture, he has been held in high-security conditions, initially in CIA black sites and later at Guantanamo Bay’s Camp Seven. His detention and interrogation have been subject to significant controversy, particularly concerning the use of torture.

The CIA’s use of waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques on Mohammed drew international condemnation and has been a point of contention in his legal proceedings.

The legal case against Mohammed and his co-defendants has been fraught with delays and complications. Factors contributing to the prolonged process include debates over the admissibility of evidence obtained under duress, the use of military commissions, and shifting US policies regarding the prosecution of terrorism suspects.

The potential plea deal marks a possible resolution to these delays, providing a legal closure that has been elusive for many years.

With inputs from agencies