AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Over the past day, the world has seen a sudden, at least partial resolution to a case that some thought would never end. The alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks and two accomplices agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in those attacks, and family members of those victims have reacted to this plea deal with a range of responses. We're going to speak to one of them now. Liz Miller was just 6 years old when her father was killed on September 11. She joins us now. Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us, Liz.
LIZ MILLER: Of course. Thank you for having me.
CHANG: So you were so young when this happened, and I don't know how much you can vividly remember, but can you just take us back to that day and tell me what it was like for you?
MILLER: Sure. So I actually lost a tooth on September 11, 2001, and I brought home a certificate that said, Elizabeth lost a tooth - little did I know. But my mom picked me up early from school, and I just remember my mom being very tense, and she was never tense. She was always very calm, easygoing, and something just felt off. Soon to follow, of course, was everybody at the house. I remember the news being on 24/7 with that threat level bar...
CHANG: Yeah.
MILLER: ...At the bottom of the TV.
CHANG: I remember.
MILLER: And that's probably, like, the memories that I have, at least from the first couple days.
CHANG: And when did you find out that you had lost your father?
MILLER: We didn't find out until Friday. I think somebody had come to the house, like, very, very early Friday morning. And my mom had told us maybe later in the day on Friday. It was actually right before I was going to horseback riding lessons. And she was kind of just like, you know, girls, your dad has gone to heaven. And, of course, we cried, but I think - you know, I was 6. My sister Rachel was 5, and my sister Katie was 3. So there's only so much about death that you can even take in at that age.
CHANG: I'm so sorry to hear about this story so many years later, but I am very, very sorry for what happened.
MILLER: Well, t hank you. I mean, it is. It's very sad. It really really is.
CHANG: Well, these three men - they have been held at Guantanamo Bay for almost 20 years now. I mean...
MILLER: Yeah.
CHANG: It has felt endless for so many people, and now finally, there's at least a legal resolution for these three individuals. How do you feel about the outcome here?
MILLER: Honestly, I was shocked when I heard yesterday that these three signed on to a plea agreement and that it was signed off on by the convening authority because in the years where I've been more heavily involved, I was - I've been to Guantanamo three times, and my honest thought was that this was never going to end. You know, knowing that the pretrial hearings have gone on for 13 years, I really just thought that this, again, would never end. I thought the men would probably die before ever being charged.
CHANG: Had you been hoping for a full trial instead of a plea deal?
MILLER: To be honest, no because I think within my organization, September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, and just with my research on the Middle East - you know, I have followed al-Qaida. I have followed this case since early college. I think I knew in my gut that, because of the torture, because these men were tortured, we were never going to see a full trial. And realistically, because of the torture, we were never going to see the death penalty. So for me, a plea agreement is really the best and only path forward that I think families will ever see.
CHANG: May I ask, though, would you have wanted to see these men put to death? - because some family members would have.
MILLER: No. But I think that's - you know, I totally understand family members who have that perspective. And I think it's really important to recognize that there are so many different family members who have different opinions and rightfully so. But that's just not something that I ever wanted. It's just not the household that I grew up in. Like, it's just - the death penalty to me is a complete and utter problem across the board. So I really would never want anybody put to death. But I recognize the desire for that with this case. But that's just not something that I ever wished for.
CHANG: Yeah. 9/11 has, it goes without saying, deeply affected and reshaped so many people's lives. And as you mentioned, you developed an academic interest in terrorism. Can you talk...
MILLER: Yeah.
CHANG: ...About that, like, how September 11 carved this path for you?
MILLER: It's funny because my mom had always said, you know, we're never going to let the death of your father - we're never going to let 9/11 define us as a family. And I think I really took that to heart. And so I didn't let it define my perspectives and viewpoints on other people in society. And so, in turn, I decided to study the region, study the politics, study the language. And really, what I found is, like, there were so many similarities between some of my family practices with some Muslim family practices. So it was like, I think at the end of the day, doing some of this research really opened my eyes to some of the common humanity that we all share. And I think that's what should be focused on...
CHANG: Wow, that's beautiful to hear.
MILLER: ...Because I just - you know, I think it leads for a better life that you get to lead. And so I never wanted to be hateful or judgmental, especially if I had never learned anything, you know, before doing so.
CHANG: That's incredible to hear. So many of the family members of the victims have formed a very broad community. And I was wondering. Has that happened for you, too, and what kind of role does your relationship with the other family members played in your life?
MILLER: So the organization that I'm a part of was founded in 2002, and it was a group of 9/11 family members who wanted to advocate for peace in the face of tragedy and turning that grief that we've all experienced into actions for peace. And I felt like I had finally found my people because for me, I just wake up every day and choose to live a more peaceful life, you know, for my sake. And, you know, I could wake up every morning and be like, my dad's dead. My life sucks. And some days I do that. But I think it's really important to figure out how to move forward in life and always remember what you've experienced but not to allow that to ruin your day to day. And I think after having such a violent thing happen to my family, I just don't want anything violent to ever happen to anybody. So I think advocating for peace, you know, common humanity, communication with others is a much better way and path to live life.
CHANG: Liz Miller, thank you so much for sharing your story and being so candid with your views.
MILLER: Thank you.
CHANG: Really appreciate you. Liz Miller - she lost her father at the age of 6 in the 9/11 attacks. Today, she works with the advocacy organization September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.
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