Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the alleged Sept. 11 mastermind seen here shortly after his capture in 2001, told a U.S. military court on June 5, 2008 in Guantanamo Bay, that he wishes for the death penalty so that he can become a martyr. Mohammed and four accused co-conspirators appeared in court at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. naval base in Cuba for the first time on charges that could result in their execution. (UPI Photo/Handout) |
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WASHINGTON, June 1 (UPI) -- Military prosecutors refiled charges against five men allegedly behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, the Defense Department said.
The capital charges allege Khalid Sheik Mohammed, Mohammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi were responsible for planning and executing the attacks on New York, Washington and Shanksville, Pa., resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.
The charges were refiled against the five, renewing a process the Obama administration suspended as part of its failed effort to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the men are housed, The Washington Post reported.
All five were accused of conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, destruction of property in violation of the law of war, hijacking aircraft and terrorism, the Pentagon said Tuesday in a release.
The five defendants were first charged in 2008, and several pretrial hearings were conducted before the case was stopped. It must begin again with a new arraignment.
The sworn charges will be forwarded to the convening authority, Bruce MacDonald, who will make a determination about whether to refer some, all or none of the charges for a military commission trial, the Pentagon said.
Among the issues expected to be reconsidered is the defendants' desire for self-representation, which could have a major affect on how quickly the matter moves through the judicial system, the Post said. All men are entitled to a military attorney and "learned counsel," a lawyer experienced in death penalty cases.
