Last week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revoked a plea deal for alleged 9/11 terror attack mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two accomplices.
The deal would have removed the possibility of the death penalty for Mohammed but required him to still serve a life term in prison.
Austin reversed the deal in a memo to retired Brig. Gen. Susan K. Escallier, who approved the plea deal for Mohammed and his accomplices, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi.
"I have determined that, in light of the significance of the decision to enter into pre-trial agreements with the accused in the above-referenced case, responsibility for such a decision should rest with me as the superior convening authority under the Military Commissions Act of 2009," Austin wrote in the memo. "Effective immediately, I hereby withdraw your authority in the above-referenced case to enter into a pre-trial agreement and reserve such authority to myself."
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks), the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) chairman, told Fox News Digital on Saturday that his committee still intends to investigate how the plea agreement was finalized in the first place.
"I appreciate that Secretary Austin listened to my concerns and reversed this horrible decision," Rogers said to Fox News Digital. "However, this plea deal should never have occurred. I still expect the Secretary to provide HASC with answers on how this happened."
Rogers announced his committee had requested documents related to the plea deal earlier in the week.
Jeff Poor is the editor in chief of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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