Defense chief defends decision to throw out plea deal for 9/11 defendants

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has spoken for the first time on his decision to throw out a plea deal for the accused mastermind of al-Qaida’s 2001 attacks and two other defendants. Austin told reporters on Tuesday that he believed the depth of American losses and sacrifice from 9/11 demand that the accused stand trial. Austin spoke to reporters at an event in Annapolis, Maryland. The top appointed authority over the U.S. military commission proceedings in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba last week approved a plea bargain for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other 9/11 defendants. The deal would have spared the men from facing possible death penalties in exchange for their guilty pleas. Austin on Friday threw out the plea bargain.