Lt. Col. Michael Schrama set the trial for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and three co-defendants for June 5, 2028, after rejecting a January 2027 start. The case involves accusations tied to the September 11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. Ongoing appeals concern evidence admissibility and one defendant's competency.
The 2028 trial date underscores concerns over indefinite detention, military commissions, and the legacy of torture, with the long delay raising questions about credible justice.
“Due process and human rights critiques of Guantánamo and post-9/11 counterterrorism”
Conservative
The scheduling of a 2028 trial more than 26 years after the attacks highlights a justice system that has prioritized procedural safeguards over swift accountability for confessed terrorists.
“National-security imperative and closure for victims' families”
Libertarian
Prolonged detention since 2003 and use of military tribunals expose risks of unchecked government power and eroded due process even against self-proclaimed enemies.
“Precedents weakening safeguards for all citizens against state overreach”
Devil's Advocate
All three perspectives treat the 2007 statement as a clean admission while ignoring its timing after enhanced techniques and overlook political decisions that made the extended timeline inevitable.
“Unexamined structural and evidentiary risks that could prevent any verdict”