&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to finally face trial in 2028, nearly 27 years after horrific attacks")
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed aka KSM, the man accused by the US of being the mastermind behind the horrific September 11 attacks, has been given a new trial date at Guantanamo Bay. Military Judge Lt. Col. Michael Schrama ruled on Wednesday (Aug 26) that proceedings against Mohammed and three other defendants can begin on June 5, 2028. Notably, prosecutors had asked for an earlier start in January 2027, but the judge rejected that request.
The case has been moving through the US military commission system for more than two decades. By the time the trial opens, it will be almost 27 years since the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
What is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed accused of?
Mohammed, known as KSM, is accused of being the principal architect of the 9/11 plot. US prosecutors say he proposed using hijacked passenger aircraft as weapons and later worked with al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to develop the plan.
On September 11, 2001, four commercial planes were hijacked. Two were flown into the World Trade Center in New York, one crashed into the Pentagon, and the fourth went down in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back.
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KSM's capture and years in CIA custody
Mohammed was captured in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on March 1, 2003. He was then held in the CIA's secret detention programme for about three and a half years before being transferred to Guantanamo in September 2006.
What happened during that period remains a major issue in the case. Declassified material says Mohammed was subjected to the CIA's "enhanced interrogation" programme, including 183 waterboarding sessions and prolonged sleep deprivation.
Defence lawyers have argued that evidence and statements obtained during those interrogations should not be used against him.
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Why has the case repeatedly faced delays?
The prosecution has been delayed by disputes over classified evidence, defence access, military commission procedures, and the treatment of detainees in CIA custody.
In July 2024, Mohammed and two co-defendants agreed to plead guilty in exchange for life imprisonment instead of facing the death penalty. Then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin moved to block that agreement. In 2025, a federal appeals court ruled that Austin had the authority to reject the plea deal, putting the defendants back on the path to trial.
Four defendants to face the courtroom
Mohammed will stand trial with Walid bin Attash, Ammar al-Baluchi, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi. Another accused, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, who was also charged in the case, has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial after developing severe psychological problems associated with his detention and alleged torture.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the four defendants.
