A US military judge has set June 5, 2028, as the trial date for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and three other men accused of plotting the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The trial is scheduled 18 months later than the January 2027 date sought by prosecutors. Judge Air Force Lt. Col. Michael A. Schrama said additional time is needed to resolve pretrial disputes, including disagreements over evidence.
Mohammed is accused of developing and directing the plot to hijack four planes and crash them into the World Trade Center and Pentagon. A fourth aircraft crashed in Pennsylvania.
He will stand trial alongside Walid bin Attash, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali and Mustafa al-Hawsawi at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The case has faced delays for more than two decades, and the 2028 date could change if required deadlines are not met. A previous trial scheduled for 2021 was canceled.
A plea agreement that would have spared Mohammed and two co-defendants the possibility of execution was also overturned after a federal appeals court rejected the arrangement. The deal would have resulted in life sentences without parole.
