Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Confessions Barred From 9/11 Trial

A military judge has ruled that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s confessions to FBI agents were involuntary and cannot be used against him in the long-running Guantánamo Bay death-penalty case.

Major Blow to the Prosecution

Prosecutors considered Mohammed’s 2007 interrogations at the U.S. Navy base in Cuba among their most important evidence. Judge Lt. Col. Michael Schrama found that the prosecution failed to prove the statements were given voluntarily.

CIA Interrogations Influenced Later Confessions

The judge cited the continuing effects of severe CIA coercion and psychological conditioning following Mohammed’s capture in 2003 and detention in secret overseas prisons.

He also found that FBI agents did not clearly advise Mohammed of his right to remain silent, consult a lawyer or understand that his statements could be used at trial.

Ruling Could Delay 2028 Trial

The trial is currently scheduled to begin on June 5, 2028. However, the proceedings could face further delays if prosecutors appeal the decision and seek to have the confessions reinstated.