Supreme Court turns away appeal from alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

Updated on: October 19, 2026 / 10:34 AM EDT / CBS News

Supreme Court turns away appeal from alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

TL;DR

  • The Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Mustafa al Hawsawi, and Walid bin 'Atash.
  • The appeal sought to reinstate plea agreements made with military prosecutors before being revoked by the Biden administration.
  • The plea deals would have led to life sentences, avoiding the death penalty, in exchange for guilty pleas to charges related to the 9/11 attacks.
  • Then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revoked the plea agreements.
  • A military judge initially ruled Austin's revocation unlawful, but a military appeals court and subsequently the D.C. Circuit sided with the government, upholding the Defense Secretary's authority.
  • Mohammed, Hawsawi, and bin 'Atash were charged in 2008 for their alleged roles in the 9/11 attacks, with their trial date set for June 2028.
  • Their cases have faced lengthy delays due to disputes over evidence obtained through 'enhanced interrogation techniques' at secret CIA prisons.