Suspected 9/11 mastermind and two others reach plea agreement: DOD

NEW YORK (PIX11) – A plea agreement has been reached with the suspected mastermind of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, along with two others, the U.S. Department of Defense announced on Wednesday.

"The Convening Authority for Military Commissions, Susan Escallier, has entered into pretrial agreements with Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin' Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, three of the co-accused in the 9/11 case," a statement on the Department of Defense website read.

The U.S. agreement with the men to enter into a plea agreement comes more than 16 years after their prosecution began for al-Qaeda's attack and more than 20 years after militants flew hijacked commercial airliners into buildings, killing nearly 3,000 people.

Families of many of the victims have said they wanted to see the men formally admit guilt. The New York Times, citing unidentified Pentagon officials, said the terms included the men's longstanding condition that they be spared the risk of the death penalty.

This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press