9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's trial postponed to 2028
What's the story
The trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, has been postponed to June 5, 2028. The new date was set by military judge Air Force Lt Col Michael Schrama on Wednesday. This is an 18-month delay from the January 2027 trial schedule proposed by prosecutors.
Court proceedings
Trial could still be delayed further
The trial will only go ahead if it meets the required deadlines and milestones; however, it could still be delayed further.
Mohammed will be tried along with three co-defendants, Walid bin Attash, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi, under the US military commissions system at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The four men are accused of plotting the September 11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
Legal delays
Case has been delayed multiple times
The prosecution had pushed for a January 2027 trial start, but Judge Schrama decided more time was needed to settle pretrial issues.
The case has been delayed multiple times over the past two decades due to disputes over evidence, legal procedures, and treatment during secret CIA detention.
A previous trial date in 2021 was also canceled.
Plea deal
Plea agreement rejected by Biden administration
Last year, a federal appeals court rejected a plea agreement that would have allowed Mohammed to plead guilty in exchange for life sentences without parole. The agreement called for life sentences without parole for Mohammed and two others.
The deal would have required the men to answer questions from victims' families about the attacks.
However, after two years of negotiations, former President Joe Biden's administration rejected it.