Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Trial Scheduled for 2028

The trial for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the September 11 attacks, is set for June 2028. Military prosecutors have decided to proceed without a critical confession to avoid further delays, following a military judge’s decision to exclude Mohammed’s 2007 statements to the FBI. This decision came before the 25th anniversary of the attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives.

Mohammed, who has been detained at Guantánamo Bay since 2003, will face trial alongside co-defendants Walid bin Attash, Mustafa al-Hawsawi, and Ammar al-Baluchi. Prosecutors initially intended to rely on a confession obtained during Mohammed’s detention in Cuba, where he has remained for almost two decades.

According to Lt. Col. Michael Schrama, who set the trial date, the confession was suppressed due to ‘severe coercion’ and the absence of legal counsel for Mohammed at the time. In 2024, Mohammed and some co-defendants had reached a plea deal with the Biden administration, which avoided the death penalty. However, public backlash led to the revocation of the deal, extending litigation.

The trial is significant for victims’ families seeking justice after years of delays. Appeals in such cases can extend the time before a trial, a situation military prosecutors want to avoid. Families have also requested that the Trump administration declassify documents regarding Saudi Arabia’s potential involvement in the 9/11 attacks.