A U.S. military judge has scheduled the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed for June 5, 2028. Mohammed is accused of being the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001, attacks.
The trial will take place nearly 27 years after the attacks, where hijackers flew commercial planes into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon. A fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania, resulting in nearly 3,000 deaths.
Air Force Lt. Col. Michael A. Schrama decided against the prosecutors’ proposed start date of January 11, 2027. He stated the proposed date did not align with the ongoing pretrial litigation. The judge emphasized the need for sufficient time to address evidentiary and compliance motions. These include disputes regarding the suppression of certain FBI-documented statements.
Mohammed will face trial along with Walid bin Attash, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi. All are accused of involvement in the attack plot and remain in custody at the U.S. naval base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
Prosecutors assert that Mohammed formulated and executed the plan to hijack passenger planes and target key U.S. locations. He was apprehended in Pakistan in March 2003 and moved to Guantánamo Bay in 2006.
The trial scheduling follows a failed plea deal. The agreement could have seen Mohammed plead guilty in return for a life sentence without parole, avoiding a death-penalty trial.
The court’s order sets milestones ahead of jury selection on June 5, 2028. Yet, these plans rely on meeting intervening deadlines, hinting at potential further delays.
This case continues to develop, with more updates anticipated.