WASHINGTON, April 4: The US on Wednesday charged Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four of his accomplices for orchestrating the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on its soil.

The US Defence Department, which referred the charges to a military commission, also vowed to seek the death penalty against the alleged mastermind and his co-conspirators.

The charges allege that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi are responsible for the planning and execution of the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

The convening authority — the US Office of Military Commissions — referred the case to a capital military commission, the Pentagon said.

Each suspect has been provided, in addition to their detailed defence counsel, a learned counsel with specialised knowledge and experience in death penalty cases to assist in their cases.

The five are charged with terrorism, hijacking aircraft, conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, and destruction of property in violation of the law of war.

The convening authority has referred all charges to a joint trial.

Pentagon officials said the charges were only allegations and the five were presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Pentagon said that the chief judge of the Military Commissions Trial Judiciary would assign a military judge to the case, and the five accused would be arraigned at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within 30 days after they’re served with the charges.