FBI: Moussaoui not involved

2003-10-19 18:47

Washington - The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has concluded that Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in America in connection with the September 11 attacks, was not involved in the strikes, Time magazine reported on Sunday.

The news weekly, in its edition appearing on Monday, quotes unidentified sources as saying the FBI has long believed that the Moroccan-born Frenchman "played no part in the 9/11 scheme and was only a minor player in al-Qaeda."

Moussaoui was detained by US authorities on an immigration violation less than a month before the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.

Jailed in Virginia while awaiting trial, he has acknowledged membership in Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda group, but has repeatedly denied the government's charges that he was to have taken part in the September 11 attacks.

Because of the government's refusal to allow Moussaoui to interview captured members of al-Qaeda, a US district judge, Leonie Brinkema, has barred prosecutors from alleging that Moussaoui was linked to the September 11 attacks.

Moussaoui has argued that the captured al-Qaeda members could provide evidence that he was not involved in the September 11 plot.

The government's case against Moussaoui rests largely on proving the connection with the September 11 attacks and prosecutors are appealing the judge's ruling.

- AFP