911: Mastermind of Terrorist Attack to Face Judge in Guantanamo

Families of 911 Victims invited to watch arraignment

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and four others, are to be arraigned at a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay on Saturday.

Mohammed and his alleged co-conspirators will be charged on 2,976 counts of murder—one for each person killed during the 911 attacks.

Nearly 11 years after the 2001 terrorist attacks, many have expressed frustration that it’s taken so long to bring charges against the alleged conspirators.  Past attempts to prosecute Mohammed and crew in a federal court in New York have failed. Congress blocked the trials in 2009 amid opposition to bringing the alleged conspirators to U.S. soil.

But on Saturday, family members of 911 victims will gather at designated military bases including Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, and Forte Meade in Maryland, to watch via closed-circuit TV.

Six families were chosen by lottery to travel to Guantanamo to see the arraignment in person.

The arraignment is expected to take some years to complete.