Sep 11 terror trial may move

2002-11-10 20:13

Washington - United States prosecutors may move the case against Frenchman Zacarias Moussaoui to a military tribunal at a naval base in Cuba for fear the prosecution could fail in a civilian court, says the New York Times.

Officials have made no decision on Moussaoui, the only person charged in the deadly September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States.

However, defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld has been briefed on the possibility of trying Moussaoui before a military tribunal.

Moussaoui (34) faces six federal charges of conspiracy and a possible death sentence for alleged involvement in the attacks with hijacked airliners that killed more than 3 000 people. His trial is set to begin on May 27 with jury selection.

Moussaoui has admitted to being a member of al-Qaeda - the militant group which has taken credit for the attacks - and a sympathiser of its leader, Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, but has denied involvement in the attacks.

Arrested in August 2001 for immigration violations in the northern state of Minnesota, Moussaoui was behind bars when the attack occurred.

Want terrorists kept isolated

The legal problems for the justice department centre on the refusal of the Pentagon and intelligence agencies to meet Moussaoui's demand for access to witnesses and evidence that could aid his defence, reported the Times.

Among the witnesses are recently captured al-Qaeda figures, most notably Ramzi bin al-Shaiba, a Yemeni arrested in Pakistan last month on suspicion of being a planner of the September 11 attacks.

An official said: "The Pentagon and the CIA argue, quite justifiably, that they want to keep these terrorists in isolation and under interrogation", even if that means abandoning the prosecution of Moussaoui. - Sapa-AFP

- SAPA