Trial Date Set for Accused 9/11 Mastermind and Co-Conspirators

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, alleged planner of the September 11 terrorist attacks, along with three supposed associates, is scheduled for trial in 2028. The decision came from a military judge on Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Michael Schrama established June 5, 2028, as the trial commencement date, rejecting an earlier proposal for January 2027. Mohammed and the other defendants have been detained at Guantánamo Bay since 2003, linked to the tragic events that resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths.

Schrama emphasized that prosecutors’ suggested January 11, 2027, trial date wouldn’t suffice to finalize pending pretrial issues. He noted, “A realistic trial date must account for the hearing and resolution of pretrial evidentiary and compliance motions, including the FBI LHM suppression motions.”

A court nullified plea agreements for Mohammed and two others, reiterating the extended delay in justice for those responsible for 9/11.

A comprehensive scheduling order outlines a series of deadlines and benchmarks leading to the June 2028 trial. Existing deadlines concerning ongoing pretrial litigation remain intact.

The order structures processes such as jury selection starting June 5, 2028. After juror assembly, challenges, and commission member empanelment, opening statements will begin 30 days later. Defendants have the option to delay their opening remarks until after the prosecution’s case completion.

Prosecutors will introduce evidence immediately following opening statements. Once the prosecution concludes, defendants have 14 days to motion for a not guilty verdict under military commission rules. The prosecution has 14 days to counter, and defendants have seven days to reply. If prosecutors detect a perceived flaw pointed out by the motion, they are allowed 45 days after their initial evidence presentation to address it.

Defense evidence presentation will initiate 60 days subsequent to the prosecution’s case conclusion. The order delineates procedures for rebuttal and surrebuttal evidence, additional motions declaring not guilty, and concluding arguments.

Shrama specified that extensions or continuances regarding motions for acquittal or the submission of rebuttal or surrebuttal evidence will not be granted absent good cause.

Despite the years-long legal effort, a trial date emerges following the invalidation of potential plea bargains.

The trial announcement follows extended legal disputes concerning Mohammed and co-defendants, alongside unsuccessful attempts to resolve via plea deals.

A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., decided in 2025 allowing then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to withdraw from plea deals offering Mohammed life imprisonment without parole, possibly removing the death penalty option.

Austin stated that resolution concerning capital punishment should reside with the defense secretary. The D.C. Circuit maintained Austin’s authority, citing that public and victims’ families deserve military commission trials.

Mohammed, a Pakistani national, is accused of orchestrating the hijacking plan targeting the World Trade Center and Pentagon, while a fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania.

The 2028 schedule outlines the path for a complex, enduring legal process addressing evidence and legal queries before the primary trial proceedings.

Brittany Miller, a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and former reporter for the Independent, graduated from Syracuse University in 2023.