A U.S. military appeals court has ruled that plea deals related to the man accused of masterminding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and two accomplices can proceed after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had earlier moved to invalidate the agreements.

FileA plea deal that could let the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks avoid the death penalty was upheld by a U.S. military appeals court.Earlier this year three men held for decades without trial at the Guantanamo Bay detention center reached an agreement with Pentagon prosecutors to plead guilty and possibly avoid the death penalty.

The U.S. government’s controversial plea deals with three men accused of orchestrating the 9/11 terrorist attacks may proceed, a Defense Department appeals court has ruled, after the Biden administration sought to thwart an agreement that would spare the lives of those who have admitted guilt in the deadliest crime perpetrated on American soil.