Washington, 1 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) — The alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and two other defendants have agreed to plead guilty, the US Department of Defense announced on Wednesday.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-accused are part of the deal, which could see them avoid the death penalty, according to US media reports.

The specific terms and conditions of the pretrial agreements were "not available to the public at this time," the department said.

The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks involved four passenger jets that were hijacked and used to target the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon defence headquarters outside Washington.

Almost 3,000 people were killed.

Mohammed is believed to be the mastermind behind the attacks, coordinating communication and financing for the operation.

He was arrested in Pakistan in 2003 and subsequently interrogated by the US foreign intelligence agency, the CIA.

According to a US Senate report, he was tortured during the interrogations.

In 2006, Mohammed was transferred to the infamous US prison camp at Guantánamo, where he was slated to face trial before a military tribunal for his involvement.

However, the trial against him and multiple co-defendants had been delayed for several years.

Former president George W Bush established the prison at the Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba to hold suspected terrorists following the attacks.

Despite calls from human rights organizations for its closure, a small number of detainees are still being held there.