9/11 defendants ignore judge in trial

GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba

In this drawing, five accused (L) and victim families (R) are seen in the courtroom. AFP photo

Five men accused of plotting the deadly September 11, 2001 attacks have been formally charged with crimes including murder and terrorism. However, their trial opened in chaos, with the defendants kneeling in prayer, ignoring the judge and forcing the proceedings to drag on late into the night.

Confessed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the four other accused opted to defer their pleas at May 5’s proceedings in a military tribunal at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which lasted more than 13 hours. The five face the death penalty if convicted for their roles in the terror attacks, killing 2,976 people.

The defendants were charged with “conspiracy, attacking civilians, murder and violation of the law of war, destruction, hijacking and terrorism” in connection with the attacks, according to Agence France-Presse. After defying the court for more than nine hours by keeping silent, defendants finally deferred their pleas.