• Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's trial for 9/11 attacks is set for June 5, 2028.
• The judge deemed the previous proposed trial date of January 2027 too soon.
• Legal complications continue surrounding pretrial evidence disputes.
• The case has faced significant delays since the attacks over 20 years ago.
• A previous plea deal to avoid the death penalty was thrown out by a federal court.

A U.S. military judge, Air Force Lt. Col. Michael A. Schrama, has scheduled the trial date for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, to commence on June 5, 2028. This date is significantly later than the originally proposed January 2027 trial date, which prosecutors argued for. The judge stated that additional time is necessary to address pretrial disputes and evidentiary matters that require resolution before the trial can begin, according to BBC and Reuters.

The trial will include not only Mohammed but also his three co-defendants: Walid bin Attash, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, all of whom have been detained at Guantanamo Bay. The trial process is expected to involve a selection of a jury composed of service members, and follow military justice procedures. It is also anticipated to face further potential delays, as the legal journey has been tumultuous for over two decades, according to CBS News and Reuters.

A plea deal that would have allowed Mohammed to plead guilty in exchange for life sentences without parole was rejected last year by a federal appeals court, revoking prior approvals due to political backlash. This agreement was seen as a way to avoid the death penalty but faced significant opposition from lawmakers, further complicating the legal proceedings, according to BBC, Reuters, and CBS News.