New York: 9/11 mastermind’s trial set for June 2028

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the September 11 attacks, and three co-defendants are set to stand trial on June 5, 2028, nearly 27 years after the attacks killed almost 3,000 people.

Military judge Lt. Col. Michael Schrama announced the date Wednesday, rejecting prosecutors’ request to begin the trial in January 2027. He ruled that more time was needed to resolve outstanding disputes over evidence and other pretrial matters.

The case has faced years of delays, including legal battles over evidence, interrogation methods and proposed plea agreements.

A federal appeals court ruled in 2025 that then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had the authority to cancel agreements that could have allowed Mohammed and two co-defendants to avoid the death penalty by pleading guilty.

Mohammed, a Pakistani national, is accused of directing the plot in which hijackers crashed passenger planes into New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A fourth aircraft, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back.

For many Israelis, October 7 carries the same national weight and trauma that September 11 holds for Americans.

But the paths toward accountability have been different: the alleged 9/11 plotters now have a trial date, while Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, widely regarded as the architect of the October 7 attack, was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza and never faced a court.