September 11 convict released

2004-04-07 12:09

Hamburg, Germany - A German court ordered the conditional release on Wednesday of the only man convicted anywhere in the world over the September 11 attacks against the United States, pending a new trial mandated by a federal tribunal.

Moroccan student Mounir El Motassadeq will walk free later on Wednesday after more than two years in prison, a court spokesperson said.

He was sentenced by the same court in this northern German city in February 2003 to 15 years in prison on charges of accessory to the murder of more than three thousand people and of membership in a terrorist organisation.

Urgent suspicion

Court spokesperson Sabine Westphalen said that there was no longer "urgent suspicion" against him on the accessory to murder charge, leading the judges to approve his release.

She said that the tribunal had, however, found that there was still "urgent suspicion" of membership in a terrorist organisation but that this was legally insufficient to keep him in custody.

"He will be released from investigative custody today but not without conditions," Westphalen said.

Motassadeq, who turned 30 this month, will be required to remain in Hamburg and stay at the home of his wife and forfeit his passport.

Westphalen said Motassadeq's new trial would likely begin on June 16.

A month ago, Germany's supreme criminal court overturned his conviction because a key witness that may have been able to exonerate him was not allowed to testify.

- AFP