“The New York Times”: Talks with the lawyers of the accused in the September 11 attacks to drop the death penalty for them

The New York Times reported that the prosecutors are negotiating a deal with Khaled Sheikh Mohammed and the rest of the defendants in the September 11 attacks, to admit the charges against them in exchange for commuting their sentences from death to life.

A report published by the American newspaper stated that the mastermind and four of his accomplices accused of masterminding the September 11, 2001 attack could avoid the death penalty under a plea agreement negotiated by the prosecutors.

And quoting informed sources, the newspaper said that the Public Prosecution Office began talks with the defense lawyer for the confession of the defendants Khaled Sheikh Mohammed and the others in exchange for life imprisonment sentences that could end the long-running case in the war court set up by the administration of George W. Bush.

After a decade of investigations, the military judge did not set a date for pronouncement of verdicts.

The newspaper pointed out that no deal is expected soon, but the admission that results in life sentences may force the Biden administration to modify its ambition to end the detentions at Guantanamo Bay.

The five prosecuted in the case are accused of directing, training, or providing travel arrangements and money for the 19 hijackers who flew four passenger planes onto the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field, killing 3,000 people.

Washington intends to sell F-15 fighters to Egypt

Washington: A high-ranking US general announced during a congressional hearing on Tuesday that the United States intends to sell advanced F-15 fighters to Egypt, despite Washington's concerns about Cairo's human rights record.

"For Egypt, I think we have good news, we're going to supply (Egypt) F-15s," US Central Command Commander General Frank McKenzie said during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, indicating a long and arduous path on that front.

The general did not give any details about the deal, which requires State Department approval. So far, the State Department has not notified Congress of this sale, which is a step required by the deal.

For his part, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said, "We are not talking about arms supplies or arms sales until Congress is informed of them."

In January, the US State Department announced its positions on two deals to sell military equipment to Egypt worth 2.56 billion dollars, including transport planes and radar systems, despite Washington's continuing concern about Cairo's human rights record .

The first deal, worth $2.2 billion, included the sale to Egypt of 12 C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft and other related equipment.

The second deal included Egypt's purchase of air defense radar systems at a value of $355 million to help it address air threats.

Last September, the US State Department suspended military aid to Egypt worth $130 million despite it being included in the budget, due to the failure to achieve an improvement in the human rights situation in the country.

Prominent members of Congress are urging the US administration to refrain from concluding military deals with Egypt or providing military aid to it unless Cairo improves its human rights record.(AFP)