Father returns to Guantanamo to face Al Qaeda terrorist who killed their hero before sentencing

Washington, D.C. (7News) — Nearly 20 years ago, Captain Daniel Eggers, gave his life while fighting in Afghanistan.

Now, his family is one step closer to receiving justice for the terrorist who took orders to kill him and his fellow soldiers.

In fact, his father, Bill Eggers, went face-to-face with the killer at Guantanamo Bay with the Department of Defense in 2017 and again in 2023.

Growing up in his Florida home, Captain Eggers dreamed of being a priest and a soldier.

After graduating from the Citadel, he joined the United States Army.

“He became a Green Beret and did a whole heck of a better job than I did," said his father, Bill Eggers. "I was only a staff Sgt. in Vietnam."

Daniel married a woman named Rebecca who is now a Colonel at the Pentagon and together they have two sons.

Daniel served in the Army for six years before he was killed in combat on May 29, 2004.

"The U.S. government renames a $10 million facility in Kabul," said Eggers. "They renamed it Camp Eggers in May 2005 about nine months after he died."

Eventually, he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

One year later, the Al Qaeda commander in connection with his death was charged and remains in U.S. custody at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

He was one of Osama Bin Laden's top global deputies and is described as a high-value detainee by the U.S. Government.

“I did see the defendant in 2017. We saw each other face to face about 50 feet apart," said Eggers. "We stared at each other and didn’t make any movement or gestures or anything."

Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi entered a guilty plea in June 2022 – so Bill Eggers was invited back to Guantanamo for the pre-sentencing hearing.

According to the Associated Press, prosecuting Hadi al-Iraqi has been delayed for years by some of the same legal and logistical challenges that have held up other Guantanamo cases. Additionally, a deteriorating spinal condition has left him partially paralyzed which has played a factor.

He pleaded guilty to four of five charges against him, including conspiracy and several violations of the international laws of war as an Al Qaida commander early in the conflict in Afghanistan that formally ended with the U.S. withdrawal in August, said AP News.

“He looked very healthy and I was glad that he looked like he was really healthy and in good spirits it looked like,” Eggers said.

Eggers said he and his family are ready to close this chapter.

“The surviving family members are all good," said Eggers. "We are Army strong and we look forward to getting it over with one of these days."