9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his apprentices to face trail on May 5

Washington, April 11 (ANI): A US military judge has set 5 May as the date for the arraignment of alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other accused apprentices.

The hearing is scheduled to begin in a military tribunal at 9:00 am local time at the Guantanamo Bay, where they are currently held captive.

The five have been prosecuted on charges of terrorism, hijacking aircrafts and murder, and face death sentences if the charges against them are proved, the New York Post reports.

Mohammed will be tried along with Walid bin Attash of Saudi Arabia, Ramzi Binalshibh of Yemen, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali of Pakistan, and Mustafa al Hawsawi of Saudi Arabia.

Mohammed was arrested by Pakistani intelligence agents in a raid in 2003, and was handed over to the US authorities.

The decision to try Mohammed and his allies by a military commission means that active duty commissioned military officers will take the place of civilian jurors in deciding whether the five are guilty as charged.

Mohammed's lieutenants are accused of helping the 9/11 hijackers train for the suicide mission, as well as providing financial support for the attack.

Since the accused are facing death penalty charges, at least 12 officers will make up the military commission (ANI)