9/11 mastermind trial delayed until June 2028

The trial for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged architect of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and three co-defendants has been postponed again, with a U.S. military judge now setting the start date for June 5, 2028.

This latest delay pushes the proceedings back by over a year from the prosecution's initial request for a January 2027 trial. The judge cited the need for additional time to resolve complex pre-trial disputes, particularly concerning disagreements over what evidence will be admissible during the trial.

For over two decades, the U.S. military and successive administrations have struggled to bring Mohammed and his alleged accomplices to justice. Mohammed is accused of masterminding the plot that involved hijacking four commercial airplanes, leading to the destruction of the World Trade Center, damage to the Pentagon, and a crash in Pennsylvania.

Mohammed and his alleged accomplices, Walid bin Attash, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, remain among the last detainees held at the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Their legal journey has been fraught with challenges, including the annulment of a plea deal last year that could have spared Mohammed the death penalty.

The 2028 trial date is contingent on the case meeting certain criteria, and further postponements remain a possibility, underscoring the immense difficulties in prosecuting such a landmark case.