Chicago – August 26, 2026
A U.S. military judge has set June 5, 2028, as the start date for the long-delayed trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The trial will take place before a military commission at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
Mohammed and three other defendants—Walid bin Attash, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali and Mustafa al-Hawsawi—face charges related to the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States. Prosecutors had pushed for an earlier trial date in January 2027, but the judge said additional time was needed to resolve extensive legal disputes and questions surrounding evidence.
The case has been delayed for more than two decades, partly because of evidence obtained during CIA detention and interrogation of the defendants. Mohammed was captured in Pakistan in 2003 and transferred to Guantánamo in 2006.
The 2028 date could still change if further appeals or legal challenges cause additional delays.
