The alleged mastermind behind the September 11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will stand trial in June 2028. A military judge made this decision on Wednesday (August 26), nearly 25 years after the tragic events. Mohammed, captured in 2003, has been held at Guantanamo Bay since 2006.
Previously, Mohammed and two other defendants, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, reached a plea deal with the Biden administration to avoid the death penalty. However, the deal was canceled after some families of 9-11 victims expressed their outrage. According to ABC7NY, the plea agreement would have required the defendants to answer questions from victims' families, a process known as restorative justice.
Despite the plea deal's cancellation, the legal process has faced numerous challenges, including the admissibility of evidence obtained through torture. A federal appeals court recently threw out the plea deal, stating that then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin acted within his authority to reject it. The court emphasized that the decision on the death penalty should be made by the defense secretary, as reported by ABC7News.
The upcoming trial aims to bring justice to the families affected by the attacks. However, the process has been long and complex, with some families feeling that justice has been delayed. The trial will be closely watched as it unfolds in the coming years.