The alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks and four co-defendants told a military judge Monday they want to immediately confess at their war-crimes tribunal, setting up likely guilty pleas and their possible executions. The five said they decided on Nov. 4, the day president-elect Barack Obama was elected to the White House, that they were abandoning all efforts to defend themselves against the capital charges. It was as if they wanted to rush toward convictions before Obama – who has vowed to end the war-crimes trials and close Guantanamo – takes office. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and another defendants said at their arraignment in June they would welcome execution as a path to martyrdom. But word that they were giving up their defense came as a shock to some of the victims' families. A select group of relatives of the 2,973 people killed on Sept. 11, 2001 were able to see the proceedings in person. Abruptly reversing course on previous attempts to defend themselves in the death-penalty case, the five announced they wanted to drop all defense motions. The judge said competency hearings were pending for two of the detainees, precluding them from immediately filing pleas. In a letter the judge read aloud in court, the five defendants said they “request an immediate hearing session to announce our confessions.” The letter implies they want to plead guilty, but does not specify whether they will admit to any specific charges. It also says they wish to drop all previous defense motions. The judge, Army Col. Stephen Henley, asked Mohammed and his co-defendants if they were prepared to enter a plea. All five said yes, but there was no indication when they would be allowed to do so.
