A U.S. military judge set a June 2028 trial date for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and three co-defendants held at Guantanamo Bay.

Air Force Lt. Col. Michael A. Schrama issued the scheduling order on Wednesday, rejecting prosecutors' request for a January 2027 start. The judge cited the need for additional time to resolve pretrial evidentiary disputes and compliance motions.

Mohammed faces trial alongside Walid bin Attash, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi. The four men stand accused of plotting the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people when hijacked airliners struck the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania.

The ruling comes just weeks before the 25th anniversary of the attacks. Mohammed, arrested in 2003, has been held at the U.S. naval base in Cuba since 2006 after earlier detention at CIA black sites. He and the others were charged in 2008 under the military commissions system.

The case has endured repeated delays over nearly two decades. A previous trial date set for 2021 was canceled. Plea agreements that would have allowed guilty pleas in exchange for avoiding the death penalty were revoked and later blocked by a federal appeals court last year.

Schrama's order outlines a structured timeline once proceedings begin. A military jury panel will be selected, followed by opening statements 30 days later. The prosecution presents its case, after which the defense may move for acquittal. Defense evidence starts 60 days after the prosecution rests, leading into a sentencing phase if convictions occur.

Prosecutors had pushed for an earlier date, but the judge determined it unrealistic given outstanding pretrial issues. The 2028 date remains provisional and subject to meeting all procedural deadlines.

The defendants remain among the last detainees at Guantanamo Bay. The military commissions process has faced criticism for its pace, though supporters note the unique challenges of trying wartime detainees captured abroad.