Trial of Alleged 9/11 Mastermind Delayed Until June 2028
A US military judge delayed the trial of 9/11 architect Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to June 2028, the latest postponement in a case stalled by disputes over evidence from CIA detention and torture.
Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Michael Schrama issued the scheduling order on August 26, according to Brussels Signal, turning down prosecutors’ request for a January 2027 trial start. The judge cited the need for additional time to resolve outstanding pre-trial disputes, particularly concerning what evidence will be admissible in court.
Mohammed is set to face trial alongside Walid bin Attash, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi. All four defendants have been detained at the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay in southeastern Cuba since 2006, and remain among the final detainees still held at the facility.
Fifth Judge, Still No Trial
Schrama is the fifth judge assigned to oversee proceedings in a case where defendants were first arraigned back in 2008. A previous trial date of January 11, 2021 was set but ultimately scrapped.
The primary source of delay stems from the treatment these men received at secret Central Intelligence Agency detention facilities following their capture in 2003. Notably, three of these black sites were located in countries that are now European Union member states.
A 2014 US Senate Intelligence Committee report documented that Mohammed underwent simulated drowning 183 times, with some of this abuse occurring at a facility in Stare Kiejkuty in northeastern Poland. Amnesty International has confirmed that bin Attash was also held at the same Polish location.
European Court Rulings on Secret Prisons
The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2014 that Poland violated the European Convention on Human Rights by hosting the CIA prison. In May 2018, the Strasbourg-based court issued similar judgments against Romania and Lithuania for sites designated Detention Site Black and Detention Site Violet.
Each country was ordered to pay €100,000 in damages to the detainee who brought the respective case. Despite these rulings, none of the three states has completed a criminal investigation into who authorized these arrangements on their territory.
The European Parliament has repeatedly demanded the closure of Guantánamo Bay, passing resolutions in June 2006 and February 2009, just days after President Barack Obama issued an executive order to shut down the camp. That order was never executed.
Plea Deal Reversal
In July 2024, Mohammed and two co-defendants agreed to plead guilty in exchange for life sentences without parole, effectively removing the death penalty from consideration. However, then-US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin withdrew from those agreements just two days later.
A divided federal appeals court in Washington upheld Austin’s withdrawal in July 2025, determining he had the legal authority to take that action. The Supreme Court is currently considering whether to review that decision, as Brussels Signal reports, citing Axios.
The June 2028 trial date remains contingent on both sides meeting a series of procedural deadlines. Opening statements would commence 30 days after the jury panel is empanelled.
With information from Brussels Signal
