Lockerbie Delays; 9/11 Trial Set

A military court has scheduled the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, to begin in June 2028 in connection with co-accused Walid bin Attash, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi, with Mohammed held at Guantánamo Bay since 2006. Prosecutors’ initial January 2027 start date was rejected, pushing the proceedings roughly a year and a half later after a split federal appeals court overturned a possible guilty-plea deal. Separately, trials linked to the 1988 Lockerbie bombing face similar postponements following the discovery of new evidence; Libyan intelligence officer Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi’s U.S. case was delayed, with a September 1 hearing set to determine next steps and a potential trial date. Officials say the delays reflect ongoing legal complexities, evidentiary issues, and the need for defense teams to review newly surfaced materials from multiple countries. Families of victims remain hopeful for justice as these long-running cases unfold years after the attacks. The renewed postponements underscore the challenges of prosecuting high-profile terrorism cases while balancing fair defense rights.