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Military Judge Excludes Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's 2007 Confession from 9/11 Trial

A military judge has ruled that the 2007 confession provided by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to FBI agents cannot be used in his upcoming trial. Lt. Col. Michael Schrama, who is presiding over the military commission, determined that the statements were not given voluntarily. The ruling follows years of litigation regarding the treatment of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed while in CIA custody, where he was subjected to waterboarding and other interrogation tactics. Schrama found that the earlier CIA treatment instilled a fear in Khalid Sheikh Mohammed that he would be mistreated if he failed to comply with the FBI. Additionally, the judge noted that the FBI team failed to provide a Miranda warning or inform him of his right to remain silent. The decision impacts the long-delayed prosecution of the man accused of orchestrating the September 11 attacks. While the government had hoped to use these admissions as a centerpiece of the prosecution, the ruling complicates the trial, which is now scheduled to begin in June 2028. Rear Adm. Aaron C. Rugh, the chief prosecutor, stated that the government will decide on an appeal in the near future.

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