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Rear Adm. Aaron C. Rugh, the chief prosecutor for military commissions overseeing the trials of the plotters of the 9/11 attacks, told the families of their victims that the defendants Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Walid bin Attash, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy and murder charges in exchange for a life sentence.
“Inexchangefortheremovalofthedeathpenaltyasapossiblepunishment,thesethreeaccusedhaveagreedtopleadguiltytoallofthechargedoffenses,includingthemurderofthe2,976peoplelistedinthechargesheet,”saidtheletter.
”IfeellikeIwaskickedintheballs,”saidretiredNYPDofficerJimSmith.Hiswife,MoiraSmith,waskilledintheterrorattacks.
“Theprosecutionandfamilieshavewaitedfor23yearstohaveourdayincourttoputontherecordwhattheseanimalsdidtoourlovedones,”SmithtoldTheNewYorkPost.
Itseemsincrediblethatthemurderersofnearly3,000Americanscouldgamethejusticesystemfor21yearsand,intheend,avoidthedeathpenalty.Thetortureofthedefendantswhilebeinginterrogatedcontributedtothetrialdelays.Buttherewasotherevidencethatthemilitarywaspla
