9 11 attacks anniversary Five accused plotters who gave shape to the spectacle of terror

September 11, 2001, the longest and most tragic day in the history of humanity as Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks in the United States. A total of 2,996 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks, including the 19 terrorist hijackers aboard the four airplanes. Five men who gave shape to the unforgettable horror are accused of conspiring to organize, train or transfer funds to the 19 hijackers in the 9/11 plot and face the death penalty in a case where justice remains elusive.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: Dubbed as the "architect of 9/11", secured al-Qaeda boss Osama bin Laden's support and admitted responsibility "from A to Z" for the attacks in New York City and Washington. Mohammed was captured on March 1, 2003, in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi by a combined operation of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and immediately extradited to the United States. By December 2006 he had been transferred to military custody at Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Born in Kuwait to Pakistani parents, he was also connected to the first bombing of the World Trade Center, in 1993, which was masterminded by his nephew, Ramzi Yousef.

Ramzi bin al-Shibh: Described as a "key facilitator" in the 9/11 attacks, he is a Yemeni national and alleged to have helped the hijackers enter the U.S. and find flight schools. After the attacks, bin al-Shibh was the first to be publicly identified by the US. He's currently detained at Guantanamo Bay.

Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi: He was allegedly an organizer and financier of the 9/11 attacks in the United States, providing money and travelers checks, air tickets, Western clothing and credit cards. Al-Hawsawi was captured in Pakistan on March 1, 2003, along with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Ammar al-Baluchi: Born Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, he is a nephew and lieutenant of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. He is a computer technician who is accused of providing funds for the 9/11 hijackers.

Walid Bin Attash: Formally charged with selecting and helping to train several of the hijackers of the 9/11 attacks. A Yemeni national, he is also accused of conspiring in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen, which killed 17 sailors. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence described him as a "scion of a terrorist family".