Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others prisoners at Guantantamo were arraigned Thursday before a military commission. The arraignment was the first time the alleged 9/11 mastermind had been seen or heard publicly since he was captured in Pakistan in 2003. Mohammed refused legal representation and said he welcomed the death penalty. Defense lawyers said they will challenge any attempt to introduce evidence tainted by torture, but Army Major Jon Jackson said they may not get that chance if the defendants represent themselves.

Army Major Jon Jackson: “What you saw today in that courtroom, commission room, was not justice; it was ridiculous. And the reason I say that is because of what happened with my client, specifically.”

Prosecuting attorney Lawrence Morris praised the commission process.

Lawrence Morris: “As you continue to see, the military commission’s process is an orderly, fair, open legal system, remarkably similar to other trials in United States courts. The prosecution team will continue to work diligently to bring all cases to trial in a fair and expeditious manner consistent with the best practices in both civilian and military courts.”

Prosecutors want to start the trial on September 15, a date defense attorneys say was chosen to influence the November presidential election.