A military judge set June 5, 2028, as the official trial date for alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
A military judge has finally set an official date for the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the man accused of planning the September 11 terror attacks against the United States.
Military judge Lieutenant Colonel Michael Schrama issued the official order on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, setting the trial to begin on June 5, 2028.
The trial will take place at the military court inside the United States naval base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Three other men accused of helping plan the deadly airplane attacks will stand trial alongside him.
The main reason why it took over 20 years to set a trial date is that the case has been stuck in long legal fights between lawyers.
Ever since the suspects arrived at Guantanamo Bay, defense lawyers and government officials have argued over CIA questioning methods and what evidence can be used in court.
Government lawyers asked the judge to start the trial early in 2027, but the judge refused, stating that both sides need more time to submit evidence and settle legal disputes before a jury can be picked.
The trial process will begin with picking military members for the jury, with opening statements planned to start a month later.
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The decision to set a firm date comes after a previous agreement that would have spared the men the death penalty in exchange for guilty pleas was thrown out. If convicted at trial, the four accused men face the possibility of execution.
Setting out the step by step rules and deadlines leading up to the summer 2028 trial, military judge Lieutenant Colonel Michael Schrama explained his court schedule order.
Explaining how the trial plan works, Judge Lt Col Michael Schrama stated that the schedule “serves as the overarching scaffolding” for the whole case.
Denying the request from prosecutors to hurry into trial next year, Schrama ruled that “a realistic trial date must account for the hearing and resolution of pretrial evidentiary and compliance motions”.
The family members of the nearly three thousand victims killed in 2001 have waited decades for the legal process to finish.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
