The United States announced on Wednesday charges against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, accused of orchestrating the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and four others accused of involvement in the attack. With Mohammed, the other terrorists include Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi. The Department of Defense released a statement saying the charges contend that the five are “responsible for the planning and execution of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa., resulting in the killing of 2,976 people.” The five alleged terrorists are charged with “terrorism, hijacking aircraft, conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, and destruction of property in violation of the law of war. The convening authority has referred all charges to a joint trial”
The chief judge of the Military Commissions Trial Judiciary will appoint a military judge to the case, and the five will be prosecuted at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within 30 days of service of the referred charges held against them. If convicted, the five terrorists accused could be sentenced to death.
