A US military judge has set a trial date for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and three others accused of plotting the 9/11 attacks, scheduled for June 2028, which is 18 months later than prosecutors requested. The four defendants are charged with developing and directing the plot to hijack planes and crash them into key locations, resulting in nearly 3,000 deaths. The trial has been delayed multiple times, including a previous cancellation in 2021, due to pretrial disputes over evidence and the defendants' treatment while in CIA custody. A rejected plea deal would have allowed Mohammed to plead guilty and avoid execution, but was later vetoed by the Biden administration.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-27,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, considered one of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's top lieutenants, will face trial for his alleged role in planning the September 11, 2001 attacks. A military judge has set a trial date of June 5, 2028, which is 18 months later than prosecutors requested, to allow time to resolve pretrial disputes over evidence. Mohammed and three others are accused of orchestrating the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people and destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City. The trial has been delayed multiple times, with a previous scheduled date in 2021 being cancelled. Mohammed was captured in March 2003 in Pakistan, and has been held at Guantanamo Bay since then.
Written for “9/11 Mastermind Trial Schedule” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
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stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 2862 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-27
The US used Guantanamo, an isolated naval base, to hold militants captured during the "War on Terror" that followed the September 11 attacks in a bid to keep the defendants from claiming rights under US law.
asserted
that → use → law
A US military judge has set a 5 June 2028 trial date for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and three others accused of plotting the 11 September 2001 attacks.
asserted
judge → set → attacks
Mohammed was considered one of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's top lieutenants before he was captured in March 2003 in Pakistan.
asserted
he → consider → Pakistan
The date is 18 months later than prosecutors requested, allowing more time to resolve pretrial disputes, including over what evidence can be presented.
US authorities have spent more than two decades trying to bring the case to trial.
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authorities → request → trial
The 2028 date could still be delayed if pretrial deadlines are not met.
uncertain
deadlines → delay → ?
A previous trial scheduled for 2021 was cancelled.
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trial → schedule → 2021
Mohammed is accused of developing and directing the plot to hijack passenger planes and crash them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
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Mohammed → accuse → Center
A fourth hijacked plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.
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plane → hijack → Pennsylvania
The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people.
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attacks → kill → people
The failed plea deal
Mohammed faces trial alongside three alleged accomplices - Walid bin Attash, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali and Mustafa al-Hawsawi - who are accused of helping organise or facilitate the attacks.
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who → fail → attacks
A federal appeals court last year rejected a plea deal that would have allowed Mohammed to plead guilty and avoid the possibility of execution.
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Mohammed → reject → execution
The agreement would have given Mohammed and two co-defendants life sentences without parole and required them to answer questions from victims’ families.
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agreement → give → families
The Biden administration later rejected the deal after two years of negotiations.
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administration → reject → negotiations
A key legal issue has been whether the defendants can receive a fair trial after being tortured in CIA custody.
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defendants → receive → custody
The plea deal would have avoided some of those disputes.
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deal → avoid → disputes
Mohammed and his three alleged accomplices are among the last detainees held at the US military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
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Mohammed → allege → Bay
The facility held roughly 800 prisoners at its peak, but they have since slowly been sent to other countries.
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they → hold → countries
A small fraction of that number remain.
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fraction → remain → number
