Alexandria, Va.
Terror conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui shouted, “I am al Qaida!” and was tossed out of the courtroom this week, on the opening day of jury selection for his sentencing trial. Moussaoui, a Frenchman of Moroccan descent, denounced his American lawyers, vowing to fight the death penalty by taking the stand himself during the trial, which begins March 6. “This trial is a circus,” he said. “These people do not represent me.” Moussaoui pleaded guilty in April to plotting to fly planes into buildings in the U.S. Prosecutors contend Moussaoui could have prevented the 9/11 attacks by telling authorities about al Qaida’s plans. The defense argues that Moussaoui knew less about 9/11 than the government did, citing investigations that turned up multiple missed opportunities that might have headed off the attacks.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Sex, drugs and a royal ruckus: the US play with a future gay Prince GeorgeTalking Point The controversial off-Broadway show is a hit with audiences in New York
-
Labour's brewing welfare rebellionThe Explainer Keir Starmer seems determined to press on with disability benefit cuts despite a "nightmare" revolt by his own MPs
-
A potentially mutating bat virus has some scientists worried about the next pandemicUnder the Radar One subgroup of bat merbecovirus has scientists concerned
