Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged principal architect behind al-Qaeda’s September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, has agreed to plead guilty, according to the Defense Department. This development marks a significant step towards resolving a case that has profoundly impacted the U.S. and the Middle East.

Mohammed, along with his accomplices Walid Bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, is expected to formally enter the pleas at the military commission in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as early as next week. This marks a pivotal moment in the long-delayed legal proceedings that have spanned over 16 years since their prosecution began.

The specific terms of the plea deal have not been disclosed by Pentagon officials. However, The New York Times, citing unnamed Pentagon sources, reported that the agreement includes a condition that the defendants be spared the death penalty. This concession aligns with the longstanding demand of Mohammed and his co-defendants, who have sought assurances that they would not face execution.

The decision to accept a plea agreement comes more than two decades after the catastrophic attacks on September 11, 2001. On that day, militants hijacked commercial airliners and flew them into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, resulting in nearly 3,000 deaths. A fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to overcome the hijackers.

The 9/11 attacks triggered a series of U.S. military interventions aimed at dismantling militant extremist networks, leading to prolonged conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. These wars reshaped the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and left a lasting impact on U.S. foreign and domestic policies, as well as on the lives of countless individuals around the world.

As the legal proceedings move forward, the plea agreement may bring some closure to the families of the victims and the broader public, who have waited years for justice. It also underscores the complex legal and moral challenges involved in prosecuting acts of terrorism on such an unprecedented scale. The resolution of this case will be a landmark moment in the ongoing fight against global terrorism.