House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today is opening an investigation into the Biden-Harris Administration’s role in the recently announced plea deal for three terrorists who plotted the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In a letter to President Joe Biden, Chairman Comer requests documents and communications about the plea deal for the three terrorists who have been charged with murdering nearly 3,000 people.
“The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating what involvement the White House had in negotiating and/or approving the recently announced plea deal for three terrorists who plotted the devastating attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. The Committee is seeking documents and information to understand the role your Administration played in these negotiations and the ultimate decision to forgo seeking the death penalty for three individuals who are charged with, among other crimes, the murder of 2,976 people,” wrote Chairman Comer.
On July 31, 2024, the Department of Defense Office of the Chief Prosecutor for Military Commissions communicated to families of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack victims that the office had entered into pre-trial agreements with three defendants in the United States v. Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, et al. case. After over a decade of pretrial proceedings, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Walid Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa al Hawsawi have allegedly agreed to plead guilty to charged offenses, but only on the condition that the U.S. government not seek the death penalty as punishment for their charges. The pre-trial agreements followed 27 months of negotiations and were approved by senior Pentagon officials, yet the White House Security Council claimed President Biden played no role in the negotiations.
“In addition to questions surrounding the White House’s role in this decision, the Committee is also concerned about the complete lack of transparency regarding the deal. The specific terms of the pre-trial agreements remain undisclosed to the public or families of the victims. You are allowing these terrorists to avoid the death penalty, signaling to our enemies that the United States is reluctant to pursue full justice against those who attack our nation,” continued Chairman Comer.
Read the letter to President Biden here.
