US appeals court scraps 9/11 mastermind’s plea deal

A US appeals court on Friday scrapped 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s plea agreement, ruling that former defense secretary Lloyd Austin acted within his authority in seeking to cancel the deal.

Austin “acted within the bounds of his legal authority, and we decline to second-guess his judgment,” judges Patricia Millett and Neomi Rao wrote, with the third member of the panel dissenting.