Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the man accused of orchestrating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, is slated to go to trial in June 2028, a judge ruled Wednesday. Mohammed and three alleged co-conspirators have been held at Guantanamo Bay since 2003.
This trial date comes just weeks before the 25th anniversary of the attacks. The proceedings have been repeatedly delayed due to legal disputes, notably concerning the use of evidence obtained during interrogations that involved torture while the men were in CIA custody.
The decision follows the revocation of plea deals in 2024 by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. These deals would have allowed Mohammed, Walid Bin Attash, and Mustafa al-Hawasawi to plead guilty to conspiracy in exchange for life sentences. Austin nullified the agreements, paving the way for the defendants to face the death penalty.
At the time of the plea deal nullification, Austin stated that decisions in capital punishment cases linked to the 9/11 attacks should be made solely by the defense secretary. This assertion followed expressions of concern from victims' families, who indicated they were troubled by the proposed deals. 9/11 Justice President Brett Eagleson stated that while avoiding the death penalty was acknowledged, the families' primary concern was access to these individuals for information and ensuring transparency in the legal process.
Mohammed is pictured shortly after his capture in Pakistan in 2003.
The judge's ruling comes just weeks before the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
