House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers is opening an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the plea deals with the three terrorists who planned the 9/11 attacks, including the mastermind, Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, aka "KSM."
Rogers called the plea deals "unconscionable."
He wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin demanding "all documents and communications containing terms, conditions, agreements, side-deals, or any mutually developed, related, conditional, or linked agreements with any party relating to terms and conditions of the plea agreements."
"I, along with much of our nation and Congress, are deeply shocked and angered by news that the terrorist mastermind and his associates who planned the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, which killed nearly 3000 innocent people, were offered a plea deal," Rogers wrote in the letter, which Fox News Digital first obtained.
"Tragically, the news is a 'gut punch' to many of the victims’ families," Rogers added.
KSM and co-conspirators Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi pled guilty to murder and conspiracy in exchange for the death penalty being taken off the table.
"It is unconscionable that the Biden-Harris Administration would allow such a plea deal. You, Mr. Secretary, are the Cabinet Member with ultimate oversight of the Office of Military Commissions. Your Department allowed a plea deal with Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and his band of killers," Rogers wrote Thursday.
"Deals like this give hope to terrorists throughout the world that America is not willing to hold the worst of the worst accountable for their wicked crimes. In short, this deal signals willingness to negotiate with terrorists who deliberately harm Americans."
Not to be outdone, the House Oversight Committee Chaired by Rep. James Comer is also probing the plea deal. Comer sent a letter to Biden asking why he refuses to take responsibility for the plea deal.
“That White House officials and you, as President and Commander in Chief, would seek to distance your Administration from this decision is understandable given how absurd it is, but it is far from believable or appropriate,” Comer said.
“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.”
Comer complains about the “complete lack of transparency regarding the deal." Indeed, the details of the deal remain unknown. I have a very bad feeling about why.
Just what else did we give these terrorists?
In the letter to the president, Comer quoted from The Post’s report on the shocking plea deal, in which retired cop Kathy Vigiano, wife of NYPD Detective Joseph Vigiano, said: “I am angry and disappointed that enemy combatants who killed thousands of Americans in our homeland are now able to exploit the US judicial system to their benefit, receiving support from American taxpayers for shelter, food, and healthcare for the rest of their lives.”
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in a Thursday press briefing that the White House “had no role in that process.”
“The president had no role. The vice president had no role. I had no role. The White House had no role,” Sullivan said. “And we were informed yesterday — the same day that they went out publicly — that this pretrial agreement had been accepted by the convening authority.”
Are we to believe that the president did not sign off on the most consequential legal proceeding in a generation?
Biden pulling a Pontius Pilate is to be expected. The deal must be so rancid that the administration can't afford to be seen involved at all. The only way we're going to find out any details is during these congressional hearings.
Even then, the stonewalling will be impressive.
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