9/11 survivors furious over plea deal for alleged architect of attacks

NEW YORK – Survivors of the September 11th terror attacks are calling the plea deal for the alleged mastermind of the attacks an insult, but prosecutors said it's the best path to justice.

Khalid Shaikh Mohammad and two alleged accomplices have agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and murder for life sentences instead of going on trial for the death penalty at Guantanamo Bay. The men have been in United States custody since 2003.

As part of the plea, prosecutors said the men have agreed to answer victims' families' questions "regarding their roles and reasons for conducting the September 11 attacks." In a letter, the Department of Defense told families there may be an opportunity for them to testify during sentencing hearings.

"You don't make deals with terrorists"

On Sept. 11, 2001, retired New York City Fire Department lieutenant Michael O'Connell was 25 years old and had just joined the FDNY. He responded to the Twin Towers within hours and lost six fellow rookies that day.

Years later, he learned he's one of the tens of thousands of survivors who now have a 9/11-related illness .

"It wound up being a disease called sarcoidosis, which is an autoimmune disease that a lot of people get from environmental toxins," O'Connell said.

Thursday, O'Connell learned about the plea deal for Mohammad and the two other defendants.

"You don't make deals with terrorists," he said. "The thousands that are suffering because of those plans ... they deserve to have peace. They don't get to have their loved ones anymore, but they should have peace of knowing that the people that were responsible for that day should be wiped off the face of this planet."

Attorney Michael Barasch worked downtown at the time of the attacks and now represents victims' families and survivors.

"I've been very open about my prostate cancer, my skin cancer ... Those carcinogens have now been linked to 69 cancers," he said. "Not a day goes by without two of my clients dying of a 9/11 cancer."

"They're allowing these three terrorists, mass murderers, to continue to live while on average three New York City firefighters are dying every month," said Andrew Ansboro, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association.

"That doesn't strike me as justice"

Mike Burke's brother Billy was an FDNY firefighter who died while saving civilians in the North Tower .

"I'm not looking for closure. You do look for at least some sense of justice ... The firefighters, they went into the building and they were prepared to die to save innocents. KSM gets a plea deal. That doesn't strike me as justice," Burke said.

"Those men were part of a bigger scheme to hurt our nation as much as possible, and in a way they succeeded because 23 years later, we're here talking about it," said John Feal, a 9/11 responder and advocate.

Alice Yu was working as an accountant on the 71st floor of the South Tower on the day of the attacks.

"I felt the shaking of it like an earthquake, and that's when we felt really scared," she said.

She's struggled with survivor's guilt in the years since, and is now struggling with the news that the man accused of plotting the attacks has agreed to plead guilty.

"I'm thankful that they pled guilty. I mean, it's been so many years now, but I don't know what's the best punishment," Yu said.

Some of the victims' families said they are desperately waiting for details of the agreement, particularly where the defendants will serve out their sentences.

"Tonight, you know, you see universal outrage over the decision to enter into a plea agreement as opposed to take this to trial," Rep. Mike Lawler said Wednesday.

The men could enter their pleas as early as next week. Prosecutors said the first sentencing will likely take place in summer 2025.