A judge’s decision to allow plea deals in three 9/11 cases sets up confrontation with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who opposes the Guantanamo court ruling.

Plea deals agreed with the man accused of masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks and two accomplices held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were valid, according to a judge's ruling reported by the New York Times on Wednesday regarding agreements that had been revoked by the Pentagon.

In July, prosecutors announced they had entered into pretrial plea agreements that would allow the alleged co-conspirators to plead guilty to lesser charges and avoid the death penalty.

A military judge has ruled that plea agreements in the 9/11 case were valid, making it possible for the three prisoners accused of helping to plot the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to be

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday he still believed he should be the one to decide the fate of plea deals for the man accused of masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks and two accomplices held at the U.

A military judge ruled on Wednesday that plea agreements between the alleged 9/11 conspirators at Guantanamo Bay and the US government are “valid and enforceable,” a defense official told CNN – roughly three months after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revoked the deals.

A military judge said he would move forward with accepting guilty pleas from three defendants in exchange for life sentences. The agreements had been rescinded by the defense secretary.