9/11 mastermind loses appeal to delay Monday hearing

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept 11 terror attacks has lost an appeal citing rats and mold as a reason to delay his court appearance on Monday, a defence lawyer said.

Judge James Pohl's decision was still sealed on Thursday, three days before the hearing in question, but lawyer James Connell said he had received word by mid-afternoon.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's "emergency motion to delay October hearings - due to defense offices deemed unsafe due to the presence of hazardous mold, rodents and rodent feces - was denied," announced Mr Connell, defence lawyer for one of the five men accused of plotting the Sept 11, 2001 attacks.

The new series of preliminary hearings for the five men is scheduled to begin Monday at the United States (US) naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.