September 11 mastermind back in US military court

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four alleged co-plotters face death penalty if convicted for the 9/11 attacks.

CUBA: Hearings for the self-proclaimed September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-defendants got under way on Monday at Guantanamo Bay ahead of their trial.

It was a second appearance for him at the special tribunal known as military commissions on the US naval base.

Mohammed and four alleged co-plotters face the death penalty if convicted for the attacks on the United States 11 years ago that left 2,976 people dead.

With prosecutors refusing to reveal information deemed classified and holding parts of the debates behind closed doors, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) rights group and 14 media groups have urged complete transparency.

At issue are the torture and abuse the five men said they suffered at the hands of US authorities, and the classified status that President Barack Obama's administration says covers details of the suspects' treatment, citing national security concerns.