Trial Date Set for 9/11 Defendants at Guantanamo Bay
A military court has scheduled four defendants, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, to face trial on June 5, 2028.
Military judge Michael Schrama has set June 5, 2028, as the trial date for four defendants held for years at Guantánamo Bay and accused of the September 11 attacks.
Trial Date and Process
Military judge Lt Col Michael Schrama issued a ruling on Wednesday scheduling the trial to begin on June 5, 2028. Schrama rejected the prosecution's request for the trial to begin next January, stating that the hearing date depends on the pretrial procedural schedule.
Defendants and Charges
Among those on trial is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the attacks. The other defendants, Walid bin Attash, Ammar al-Baluchi and Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi, face various charges of logistical and financial support.
Legal Obstacles and Torture Allegations
The case file has been bogged down for years by legal disputes over the admissibility of confessions obtained under torture, ill-treatment and solitary confinement in CIA black sites. Defense attorneys have faced restrictions during this process due to national security grounds.
Separate Trials and Death Penalty Demands
The case of a fifth defendant, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, is being handled separately because he became unfit to stand trial following trauma he suffered from US military interrogation techniques. The other four defendants are facing the death penalty.