9/11 families still await trial for alleged mastermind 25 years on

September 9, 2026 at 04:11 AM2 min

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Relatives of 9/11 victims say the trial of alleged mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has yet to begin 25 years after the attacks. Tom Resta, whose brother John and sister-in-law Sylvia died in the World Trade Center, has attended pre-trial hearings at Guantanamo Bay four times. He and other families fear further delays as the case remains in pre-trial proceedings.

Key Facts

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has been held at Guantanamo Bay for 20 years without a conviction.
The pre-trial process has been presided over by five different military judges.
Tom Resta's father will turn 98 in November and does not expect to see the trial.
Stephan Gerhardt has made six trips to Guantanamo seeking convictions for his brother Ralph's death.

The Resta Family

Tom Resta's brother John and his wife Sylvia, who was seven months pregnant, were killed on 11 September 2001. The couple were working on the 92nd floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center when hijacked planes struck. They had been preparing their unborn baby's nursery with characters from the children's television show Blue's Clues. Resta said 9/11 remains 'almost constantly' on his mind 25 years later.

Guantanamo Proceedings

A military prison was established at Guantanamo Bay in south-eastern Cuba during the 'war on terror' that followed the attacks. Mohammed, often referred to as KSM, has been held there for 20 years without ever being convicted. Relatives of victims enter a lottery process to attend proceedings in a high-security courtroom where thick glass separates them from the defendants. The pre-trial process has been presided over by five different military judges.

Family Concerns

Resta said he was bracing himself for further delays and some relatives feared they would not live long enough to see the trial. His father will be 98 in November and does not expect to see it, Resta said. Resta also worried whether all the defendants would still be alive by the time a trial begins. Stephan Gerhardt, whose younger brother Ralph died, made his sixth trip to Guantanamo earlier this year.