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Washington — The architect of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and two of his accomplices have reached a plea deal, according to the Department of Defense. 

Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, the mastermind of the terrorist attack, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi were captured in 2003, but their cases have faced years of legal delays. 

The Pentagon did not release details of the plea deal. 

According to the New York Times, the deal includes guilty pleas on conspiracy charges in exchange for a life sentence rather than the death penalty. 

The detainees were first held at secret CIA prisons, where they were subject to “enhanced interrogation techniques” before they were moved to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2006. The detainees were formally charged in 2008. 

A National Security Council spokesperson said the White House learned of the plea deals, which were negotiated by military prosecutors, on Wednesday. 

“The President and the White House played no role in this process,” the spokesperson said. “The President has directed his team to consult as appropriate with officials and lawyers at the Department of Defense on this matter.”

Kristin Brown contributed reporting.