Berlin
A German court this week convicted a Moroccan man of belonging to the Hamburg terrorist cell that planned the 9/11 attacks. Mounir el-Motassadeq, 31, was a friend of lead hijacker Mohamed Atta, and paid rent for two other hijackers to conceal their whereabouts after they left for the U.S. He was convicted in 2003, but an appeals court ordered a new trial. One reason was the U.S. refusal to let German officials interview other al Qaida prisoners to confirm Motassadeq’s involvement. Prosecutors said Motassadeq knew of the plot, but a defense lawyer insisted his client was not a terrorist. The court found Motassedeq didn’t play a direct role in the attacks, and sentenced him to seven years in prison.
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.
-
UK-India trade deal: how the social security arrangements will workThe Explainer A National Insurance exemption in the UK-India trade deal is causing concern but should British workers worry?
-
Man arrested after 'suspicious' fires at properties linked to Keir StarmerSpeed Read Prime minister thanks emergency services after fire at his former family home in north London
-
Elon Musk's SpaceX has created a new city in Texasunder the radar Starbase is home to SpaceX's rocket launch site
