Germany Delays 9/11 Verdict, New Witness Found

Reuters ^ | January 21 2004 | Philip Blenkinsop

[knighthawk]

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German court postponed on Wednesday the verdict on a Moroccan accused of aiding the Sept. 11 attackers after prosecutors said they had found a new witness, casting doubt on his expected acquittal.

The Hamburg court where Abdelghani Mzoudi is on trial said that the verdict would not now be issued Thursday as expected after a request from prosecutors to hear evidence from two police officials about a new witness.

"Federal prosecutors sent to the court today a substantial transcript dated January 19 regarding the questioning of a witness whose reliability is guaranteed and who would incriminate the accused Mzoudi," the court said in a statement.

Mzoudi, 31, had been expected to be cleared of the charge of several thousand counts of aiding and abetting murder and membership of a terrorist organization after he was released from custody in a surprise move last month.

His release came after German investigators informed the court of secret testimony which the trial judge presumed to have come from key al Qaeda figure Ramzi bin al-Shaibah who is now in U.S. custody.

That testimony suggested the Moroccan did not belong to the core group of plotters based in Hamburg -- an al Qaeda cell said to have been instrumental in the 2001 attacks on America.

The United States has shared details of bin al-Shaibah's testimony with Germany, but has been unwilling to allow it be released to a court.

Independent lawyers had said it appeared very likely that Mzoudi, whose trial has continued, would be acquitted.

However, prosecutors are now seeking a 30-day break for judges to assess the credibility of the new witness. The court will hear new information from two police officers and a federal prosecutor Thursday. Neither the court nor defense lawyers gave any details about the new witness.

Mzoudi's trial is only the second of a suspected Sept. 11 plotter. Last year the same court sentenced another Moroccan, Mounir El Motassadeq, to 15 years in jail on similar charges.

His lawyers were expecting to hear the results of an appeal, which could lead to a retrial, next week. They say that the new evidence that led to Mzoudi's release should lead to a review of Motassadeq's conviction.

U.S. Attorney-General John Ashcroft and lawyers representing the relatives of September 11 victims have described the freeing of Mzoudi as disappointing.

[Angelus Errare]

It could easily be a little of both. If Iran had contact with or assisted the actual hijackers, the Saudis could have financed their operations once they reached the US. That has some rather interesting policy implications to it, since it implies that at the absolute least somebody in Riyadh or Tehran is in cahoots - though it does fit with what we know to date about Saudi and Iranian involvement with al-Qaeda.

I actually think that this whole "ideological disagreement" nonsense should have been thrown out the window the moment we learned that al-Qaeda made a deal with Charles Taylor, a nominally Christian despot, to help them out with the West African diamond trade.

And isn't it interesting that none of the Western news outlets are carrying the claims that this witness actually made?

[marron]

And then there's this nagging voice going, Saudi disinfo?

I don't think its either-or. We know that there has been a long list of coincidences involving Iraq and Osama's agents. We also know that with Afghanistan closed to them the remaining Al Qaedists have taken refuge in Pakistan and Iran. And we know that the primary sources of funding are Saudi, including Saudi Royals, including some in government.

So its important to put the pieces of the puzzle together but not for the point of figuring out if it was Iran, or Iraq, or Saudi Arabia, when there were elements of all three involved at various times.

We have our work cut out for us.

[dagnabbit]

Didn't one of these Hamburg Moroccans have contacts with a Saudi working as a diplomat in the area?

[marron]

Didn't one of these Hamburg Moroccans have contacts with a Saudi working as a diplomat in the area?

Really? Link, anyone?

[swarthyguy]

Yes YES YES; he ran/was involved an islamic academy under diplomatic cover and was expelled.

Not a lot of details given in a cryptic news report.

Was posted here. Not sure if we even got the jihadi's name.

[Angelus Errare]

Here's the Rantburg copies on the diplomat, unfortunately the original stories are no longer available:

http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.asp?D=12/6/2002&ID=8282

http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.asp?D=4/7/2003&ID=12634

http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.asp?D=5/3/2003&ID=13813

[Angelus Errare]

See post below, the Rantburg copies should give us all the info we need.

[Dog]

If we need German translated I ping longjack.

Longjack would you please translate the article in post 3...and ping us to it...

Thanks.

[Domestic Church]

Weren't there detailed models of the WTC and the Pentagon among others in Iran? I recall reading about these on FR a year or two ago.

[aristeides]

Sorry, I don't remember that.

[Angelus Errare]

Here is the Rantburg translation by True German Ally in full:

The federal prosecutors got hold of a man who claims to have been a high-ranking member of the Iranian secret service for many years. In this function he says to have learned about the planning of 9/11 before it happened, seen several al-Qaida bosses in Iran and known some of the death pilots from Germany by name. Up to now only the Federal Propsecution Office knows the name of the man, but he is willing to testify at court under condition of anonymity.

According to the interrogation protocol the Iranian secret service agent claims that Iran was actively involved in the planning of 9/11, from page 11 onwards of the protocol he also mentions Mzoudi’s name several times. He says that friends from within the Iranian secret service apparatus have told him that the defendant was supposed to be killed by terrorists after his release in December 2003. The reason: In Iran Mzoudi was suspected to work with Western Intelligence Services or that he was released to be spied upon.

In the view of the federal prosecutors the statement proves that Mzoudi must very well have been a member of the Hamburg cell and because of that had to be liquidated as a bearer of top secret information and a potential traitor. Other statements of the new witness incriminate Mzoudi heavily. The witness says that he has heard Mzoudi’s name as the guy responsible for the logistics of 9/11. The Moroccan, he says, had been responsible for the “draft and the dispatch of information to intermediaries”, “because he was familiar with codes”.

Especially these statements perfectly fit in the picture sketched by the prosecution which claims that Mzoudi was the man in the background of the terror cell. Again and again federal prosecutors have presented a puzzle of many little assistances before court in order to prove Mzoudi’s guilt. It is true though that the witness hasn’t been able to prove his statements or put them in concrete terms. He only says, that he has this information from a man “at the very top” of the Iranian Secret Service.

It should be difficult for the prosecution to bolster the credibility of the new witness. The witness claims again and again that his person is known to intelligence services like the (German) BND and that he doesn’t want to testify publicly at court. But it is doubtful whether the judges will accept that explanation. In the tangled web of international intelligence services the truth is difficult to filter out because of all the different interests involved and the always present desire to protect sources. First of all the ruling judge Klaus Rühle intends to get his own picture of the new witness. He has summoned the two superintendents of the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) who had questioned the Iranian on January 15th in Berlin. He wants to know from them, who this witness is and what kind of impression the two investigators have about him. The further progress of the trial will only be decided after that, but at least in this week a judgement is no longer expected.

In addition:

The German Stern reports: Mzoudi’s defence attorney Gül Pinar said that the witness was an unidentified Iranian intelligence agent claiming to have informed US authorities before September 2001 of an impending attack, but was not taken seriously. The Hamburg court received the protocol of the Berlin interrogation on January 19th.

There you have it.

[Prince Charles]

If this pans out, we should level Iran.

[longjack]

Dog: Sorry, I got the ping late.

The posts before this seem to give the accurate details about postponing the verdict for a month. The Germans have a witness who says he's in the Iranian secret service and knew about 9/11 before it happened.

The German Feds submitted extensive manuscripts to the court within the last few days, which the court used as a reason to delay the verdict and return to evidence gathering phase for 30 days.

Here's my translation of what I think the main gist of the article (linked in post #3) and its description of the secret witness is:

---

Start translation...

The trial could take a new turn with this.. [information from earlier in the article]. The state attorneys found a man who claims to have been a high ranking member of the Iranian secret service for many years. In this function he had heard of the September 11 planning in its preliminary stages, had seen several Al-Qaida leaders in Iran and also known some of the suicide pilots from Germany by name. Indeed, only the German Federal Attorneys know the name of the man so far, but he wants to testify in court with the guarantee he remains anonymous..

Witness: Iran actively participated in September 11th

According to the interrogation notes, the secret service agent claims Iran had been actively involved in the planning of September 11th; it also mentions Mzoudi's name several times from page eleven of the notes on. He had learned from Iranian friends from within the secret service apparatus that the defendant was to have been killed by terrorists after his release in December 2003. The reason: In Iran, they suspect Mzoudi cooperated with western secret services or would be spied on after his release.

In the view of the states' attorneys, the testimony proves again that Mzoudi must very well have been a member of the Hamburg cell and therefore, shall have been liquidated as a carrier of confidential information and as a potential traitor. Other statements of the new witness incriminate Mzoudi deeply, as well. Such as, he reported that he had heard the name Mzoudi as the responsible party for the logistics of September 11th. The Moroccan had been responsible for the "design and the dispatch of information to intermediaries", "since he was well versed with codes".

end translation....

---

"Spiegel" appears to me to have taken great care to write this article as one of conjecture; about what 'supposedly' has been alleged. They are not making any definitive statements and take pains to show that.

This article tries, however, to attempt to show how well the testimony of this mysterious Iranian fits into the framework the German feds have built around Mzoudi's actions. This testimony, if true, ties up all the loose ends into a tidy package. Mzoudi was a go-between, but he couldn't be placed in any specific role until they learned he was the one who handled the code. The witness's testimony fit the Fed's existing case so well they feel it is credible.

The court has to judge the witness's credibility for themselves, now.

That's my take, anyway.

HTH

longjack

[Angelus Errare]

Chicago Times has just picked up the story and we now have a name for the mysterious Iranian - Hamid Reza Zakiri (Zakeri)!
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/politics/7765063.htm

This isn't his first appearance either, take a look at this:

http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=countries&Area=iran&ID=SP47303

He's an ex-IRGC big-shot.

In addition:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A21484-2003Oct13?language=printer

http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.asp?D=10/14/2003&ID=19847 (Rantburg copy by yours truly)

"A description of Mugniyah’s ongoing role was provided to authorities by a member of the Jerusalem Force who defected to Britain earlier this year. In a February interview with the London-based Saudi daily Al-Sarq al-Awsat, the defector said Mugniyah remained in Iran and had personally "planned the escape of dozens of al Qaeda men to Iran." The defector, Hamid Zakiri, said Mugniyah served as "a liaison officer with Dr. Zawahiri and with commanders of other fundamentalist organizations." Zakiri said that among those Mugniyah aided were bin Laden’s youngest wife, Amal al-Saddah, and her infant child, whom he provided with safe passage from Afghanistan through Iran to her homeland of Yemen as the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan began. European intelligence sources said that much of Zakiri’s information had been verified."

Looks like we have an intelligence goldmine here - the ayatollah should pay dearly for this.

[JohnathanRGalt]

Al Qaeda -- Hizbullah -- Iran connect the dots:

Al-Qaeda launches online terrorist manual
http://www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/story/0,12469,1125879,00.html
___________________________________________________________________

Also see: Adel's new terrorist manual and Ayman's "Shaven Beards" with link to very interesting site: http://www.anthraxandalqaeda.com

The manual is named:

"Mu`askar al-Battar (Battar's camp) -- Issue no. 2 (January 15th 2004)"

A URL to the current website of Al-Qaeda is here:

http://www.page4free.biz/sout26/b1.htm
(German-owned domain name, Malaysian ISP).

The files with 'b2' in the name are issue 2, and the files with b1 in the name are the first issue.
___________________________________________________________________

Saif Al-Adel, also known as Mohammed Makkawi, is also a former member of EIJ, and he served as a colonel in the Egyptian Army's special forces. Adel is believed to have trained and fought the tribal fighters who ambushed and killed the 18 US Army Rangers in Mogadishu in 1993. He helped plan the 1998 attacks on the US Embassies in Africa, and he was a key planner of the 2000 attack on the USS Cole. Moreover, he is believed to be part of a tactical alliance between Al Qaeda and Hizbullah.

Today he is launching on-line terror manuals. The "tactical alliance between Al Qaeda and Hizbullah" appears to be much deeper.

Earlier in 2003 it was reported he, along with a number of other al-Qaeda leaders, had been captured in Iran. Also reported to have been caputed in Iran were Osama bin Laden's son Saad, al-Qaeda's spokesman, Sulaiman Abu Gaith, al-Qaeda number two: Ayman al-Zawahiri. Al-Zawahiri is quoted in the terror manual.

FBI most wanted terrorist: Saif Al Adel
Rewards For Justice: Saif Al Adel
Captured in Iran? (May 2003)
Iran Clueless If It Captured Saif Al-Adel (May 2003)
Iran holds Al Qaeda's top leaders (July 2003)
Iran refuses to extradite captured al-Qaeda members to US (Sept. 2003)

[Cindy]

Your opinion is requested here.

Thanks.
Cindy

[Valin]

Thanks.

[MamaLucci]

bttt!

[Destro]

Journalists see all and understand little. You of course are well aware of the late 90's agreement between Islamic terrorist groups to target America. These groups were not all al-Qaeda. It reminded me of the old Mafia meetings of the 5 families where territory was cut up.

It was not Iran per say but Iranian groups some with links to the Iranian govt.

It is a complex relationship as it is simple. Weblike. Byzantine even.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

translated