ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. — The chief war court judge, Army Col. James Pohl, has assigned himself to preside at the death-penalty trial of the five men accused of plotting the Sept. 11 attacks and has set a provisional arraignment date for May 5 at Guantanamo, The Miami Herald has learned.

The rare Saturday hearing would meet a 30-day speedy trial clock deadline under the Military Commissions Act but could be changed if defense lawyers seek a delay.

The war court appearances of alleged mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four accused co-conspirators also would come within days of the first anniversary of the U.S. Special Forces raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

Two war court sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the judge’s orders have not yet been made public, said Pohl detailed himself to the case Monday. He set the date in a second order the same day.

Pohl is currently the only military judge hearing cases at the Guantanamo war court. He’s at the base in southeast Cuba this week to hear pre-trial arguments in the case of accused USS Cole bomber Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, also facing possible military execution if convicted.

It was not immediately known if Pohl would keep the Cole case or hand it off to another military judge.