US military court sets June 5, 2028 trial date for 9/11 suspects at Guantanamo
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A US military court has scheduled the main trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and three co-defendants for June 5, 2028, at Guantanamo Bay. The hearing will begin with selection of a military jury, not substantive proceedings. The trial comes more than 25 years after the September 11, 2001 attacks that killed 2,977 people.
Key Facts
- The trial is scheduled for June 5, 2028, at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
- The defendants are Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid bin Attash, Mustafa al-Hawsawi, and Ali Abdul Aziz Ali.
- The September 11, 2001 attacks killed 2,977 people.
- Prosecutors had proposed starting the trial in January 2027, but the judge rejected that timeline.
- Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has been held at Guantanamo since 2006 after his 2003 capture in Pakistan.
Trial Scheduling
US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Michael Shrama set the trial date for June 5, 2028. The proceedings will take place at the Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba. The first session will focus on selecting a military jury rather than hearing the merits of the case. Opening statements will begin 30 days after the jury is fully seated. Prosecutors had requested a January 2027 start, but the judge ruled that pretrial matters could not be resolved by then.
Defendants and Charges
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid bin Attash, Mustafa al-Hawsawi, and Ali Abdul Aziz Ali are charged in connection with the 9/11 attacks. The defendants are accused of hijacking passenger planes and directing them toward the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The attacks killed 2,977 people. The defendants could face the death penalty if convicted. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was captured in Pakistan in 2003 and has been held at Guantanamo since 2006.
Case History
Pretrial hearings in the case began in 2012. The main trial has been repeatedly postponed due to disputes over evidence and interrogation methods. A previous plea agreement that would have spared the defendants the death penalty in exchange for guilty pleas was later rescinded.
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US military court sets June 5, 2028 trial date for 9/11 suspects at Guantanamo
