Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has been refusing to respond to questions at a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay.

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The man who has called himself the “mastermind” of the Sept. 11 attacks and four comrades are back before a military judge to face charges that could lead to their execution.

Mohammed and his co-defendants are being arraigned under heavy security at the U.S. base in Cuba. The five face charges that include terrorism and 2,976 counts of murder each for their alleged roles planning and aiding the Sept. 11 attacks.

 

 

Saturday’s hearing is the first time the five have been in court in nearly 3 ½ years. President Barack Obama put their previous tribunal hold in a failed effort to move the case to civilian court. Mohammed has mocked the tribunal and said in previous court appearances that he welcomed execution.

Mohammed’s civilian lawyer says he believes Mohammed is not responding because he believes the tribunal is unfair. The judge says that won’t stop the hearing.

9/11 families prepare for Guantanamo arraignment

Relatives of Sept. 11 attack victims are at an Army base in New York City watching closed-circuit TV as the self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind and four co-defendants are arraigned in Cuba.

Fort Hamilton in New York City is one of four bases that will broadcast Saturday morning’s arraignment of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the others. Of the four bases, only Fort Meade in Maryland is open to the public.

Mohammed and the others are expected to be arraigned on charges that include terrorism and murder. They could get the death penalty if convicted in the attacks that sent hijacked airliners slamming into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. The trial is probably at least a year away.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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