The Pentagon announced Wednesday it’s reached a plea deal with the accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two others involved in plotting the attack. The three men, all detained at Guantánamo Bay prison, will reportedly plead guilty to conspiracy and murder and receive life sentences, avoiding the death penalty.

Rights groups welcomed the long-awaited news. The Center for Constitutional Rights said, “These plea agreements are a substantial step toward ending military commissions and the extralegal nightmare of Guantánamo. … The military commissions at Guantánamo have never provided justice or accountability for anyone. Rather, for the last two decades, they have provided a veneer of legal process that serves only to maintain the unacceptable status quo and cover up the torture and abuse of detainees.” The Center for Constitutional Rights has represented a number of Guantánamo prisoners.