German court acquits 9/11 terror suspect

AP | 2/05/04

[kattracks]

The Associated Press 2/5/2004, 5:51 a.m. ET

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — A Hamburg court on Thursday acquitted a Moroccan man accused of helping the Sept. 11 hijackers after a 5 1/2-month trial that was only the second anywhere of a suspect in the attacks.

Abdelghani Mzoudi, 31, had no visible reaction as presiding Judge Klaus Ruehle read the verdict to the court, keeping his arms folded and looking down toward the floor.

Prosecutors had sought the maximum 15 years in prison on more than 3,000 counts of accessory to murder and membership in a terrorist organization. Last February, similar evidence secured the maximum sentence against Mzoudi's friend Mounir el Motassadeq — the world's first Sept. 11 conviction.

Federal prosecutors alleged Mzoudi provided logistical support to the Hamburg cell under lead hijacker Mohamed Atta, helping with financial transactions and arranging housing for members to evade authorities' attention. Mzoudi spent time at a terrorist camp in Afghanistan in 2000.

Mzoudi's attorneys denied the charges, saying that while their client was friends with many of the Sept. 11 principals, he knew nothing in advance of the plot to attack the United States.

The acquittal on all counts came after the court rejected a last-minute motion from an attorney representing relatives of American victims of the attacks.

The attorney, Andreas Schulz, said his clients had access to "new information" from the U.S. Department of Justice but that he was "not authorized" to tell the court what it was.

[Michael81Dus]

Just dam...
The reason why I addressed you in the last post was, that I wanted to add a sentence saying "LOL, good posts!" - but I forgot it. That´s done by now. :)

[Hun in the sun]

"even the evil and bad Schröder-government cooperates with the US"

I see... the majority of german voters are evil and bad, eh?

Mein Gott... it`s so simple!

A) Most Germans hate war...
B) Most Germans don`t like the current US goverment,
see reason A)

This has nothing to do with Anti-Americanism, i.e.
to hate the US citizens.

No need to lick someone`s boots for that, du Held!

Hun

[Michael81Dus]

I lick noone feet. And my German nationality does not mean that I have to defend Mr. Schröder and his comrades. In fact, he is the worst Chancellor since Hitler!

Or would you say that Adenauer, Erhardt, Kiesinger, Brandt, Schmidt or Kohl were worse than him??

I personally blame Schröder for the rift between the US and Germany, and not the German voters.

How do you know wether majority of Germans oppose the US administration? Did we have a poll on that? Did we go to the ballots on that?? No.

So STFU and don´t try to lecture me what I should think or say!

The election on September 22nd 2002 was about the members of the parliament, to be formal. It was not about going to war against Iraq and it was no expression of disapproval with His Excellency, the President of the United States of America, George Walker Bush.

Therefore, I cannot see when I should have stated that the majority of German voters are evil or bad. It´s the government. The voters who elected the SPD and Greens were just too stupid to see the truth. Well, according to the polls, the voters now know what was their fault - or how would you explain the historical low of the Social DemocRATS and the absolute majority for my party, the CDU/CSU???

I´d really like to know wether you are conservative or not. Tell me what you are! This is a conservative site. What do you think about big government and the social reforms for Germany? Do we need the Herzog and Merz reforms??

[Hun in the sun]

>I lick noone feet. So why are you giving the Freepers a false impression of the climate in Germany? >Mr. Schröder and his comrades. In fact, he is the worst >Chancellor since Hitler! Hm... you mean, beeing against a war is nearly as bad as starting one? In fact, Schroeder is just a Machtmensch. A red painted Kohl, no difference. >Or would you say that Adenauer, Erhardt, Kiesinger, >Brandt, Schmidt or Kohl were worse than him?? Adenauer is the guy who sold german unity for the price of beeing a part of the NATO, instead of just beeing neutral... right? >I personally blame Schröder for the rift between the US >and Germany, and not the German voters. You blame him for following the word & idea of the Grundgesetz? "Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland vom 23.Mai 1949 Artikel 26. Handlungen, die geeignet sind und in der Absicht vorgenommen werden, das friedliche Zusammenleben der Völker zu stören, insbeson­dere die Führung eines Angriffskrieges vorzubereiten, sind verfassungs­widrig. Sie sind unter Strafe zu stellen. Strafgesetzbuch (StGB) der Bundesrepuplik Deutschland: § 80. Vorbereitung eines Angriffskrieges. Wer einen Angriffskrieg (Artikel 26 Abs. 1 des Grundgesetzes), an dem die Bundesrepublik Deutschland beteiligt sein soll, vorbereitet und dadurch die Gefahr eines Krieges für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland herbeiführt, wird mit lebenslanger Freiheitsstrafe oder mit Freiheitsstrafe nicht unter zehn Jahren bestraft. § 80a. Aufstacheln zum Angriffskrieg. Wer im räum­lichen Geltungs­bereich dieses Gesetzes öffent­lich, in einer Versammlung oder durch Verbreiten von Schrif­ten (§ 11 Abs. 3) zum Angriffskrieg (§ 80) auf­stachelt, wird mit Freiheits­strafe von drei Monaten bis zu fünf Jahren bestraft." Ya studying law, aren`t you? >How do you know wether majority of Germans oppose the US the ballots on that?? How about talking to people, watching TV and radio, or read a newspaper? >So STFU and don´t try to lecture me what I should think >or say! I won`t, I`m a democrat... it`s just my opinion. >It was not about going to war against Iraq and it was no >expression of disapproval with His Excellency, the >President of the United States of America, George Walker >Bush. Dreamer. It WAS a "was an expression of disapproval", that`s how Schroeder won... what else? >Well, according to the polls, the voters now know what >was their fault - or how would you explain the historical >low of the Social DemocRATS and the absolute majority for >my party, the CDU/CSU??? Simple... War is over, daily problems have become more interesting again ... >I´d really like to know wether you are conservative or >not. I served in the army and am a Bundesbeamter.. which means I have sworn twice on the constituition. It seems *you* are the radical one in here, see my Grundgesetz quotes above.... >Tell me what you are! This is a conservative site. Tell me WHO YOU are? You are a Bundeswehr Reservist. Keep your oath and read the Grundgesetz. BTW: PPL hate traitors, that`s why the Freepers don`t respect you- Hun

[Boot Hill]

Great comments, Coop (in #12) and Dog (in #21), about Germany and our friend Michael81Dus. I endorse those same sentiments.

I think this acquittal is more a blessing than a curse, because Mzoudi will now be extradited to Morocco and from there to the U.S., where he can be dealt with appropriately.

--Boot Hill

[NeonKnight]

What did they do to you in that time to make you hate them?

I don't hate Germans, or Deutchland, but I was routinely discriminated against while stationed there...'79-'82. I don't know how it is now, but there were many bars that openly displayed signs that said Americans were forbidden from entering.

[Finalapproach29er]

Bull.

Polls say a majority of Germans have an unfavorable view of America.

They have shown no embarrassment at the Hamburg cell that was instrumental in the 9/11 attack.

Germany has gone sour since the re-unification. Too socialist, growing more & more nasty to USA.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

But on the other hand, the US Department of Justice didn´t look too good in this affair

Heh, it looks like they gamed the system pretty well then. Thanks for the info!

[Conservative til I die]

Sorry dude, I'm of partial German ancestry, and even my relatives there think we're bullies. And they don't like Jews either, just because.

[af_vet_1981]

Oh sure. The German government is an enemy of the United States

The German government is unfaithful, unfriendly, untrustworthy, and deliberately insulting. President Bush however holds better cards.

[af_vet_1981]

And last, but not least: Allowing US troops to use their german bases,

Oh

Our mistake

We'll turn them right over to the Russians.

[af_vet_1981]

I'm so confused....

I know you are confused. Yes, the plurality of American people were wrong, even evil, to elect Bill Clinton as President twice. The majority was wrong not to defeat him. The Germans were wrong to support him. Fortuntely for us, he was not as evil as Adolph Hitler.

[Hun in the sun]

And last, but not least: Allowing US troops to use their german bases,

>Our mistake
>We'll turn them right over to the Russians.

...could be a problem, cause they left *their*
bases 10 years ago.

Hun

[Michael81Dus]

Paragraphs are our friends, write again, but this time, try to use them.

[Michael81Dus]

Sources? Links for your claims? Last time I checked, 75% stated they had a favourable or very favourable view of the US in general.

[Michael81Dus]

I´m sorry that you´re not open to facts.

[Michael81Dus]

Oh, the brother-in-law of my Grand-Grandma has a friend, whose sister´s husband has a friend, who said that Germans hate you and Jews, so it must be true.

[Finalapproach29er]

Not 9 months ago, when the Socialist government was whipping up anti-US sentiment. Of course, this was mirroring public opinion that is bigoted against Texan conservatives.

Now,it seems ol' Gerhard has put his tail between his legs and wants to make up w/US & Britian.

[Michael81Dus]

No. The sentiments were against WAR, not against the US. There´s a difference. People opposed war, but they didn´t support anti-American propaganda, just think of the outcry after former Justice Ministers comparison between Bush and Hitler. I´m sure that the Iraq war could have been well reasoned here, so that a majority would have supported it, like Afghanistan or Kosovo. In both cases, NATO led a war against sovereign countries oppressing their peoples - just like in Iraq - and nations all over the world expressed their consent. So why not this time?

[Atlantic Friend]

"Sometimes being an OLD EUROPEAN means honoring OLD VALUES"

You've put it very nicely, thank you. Too bad this simple fact stays ignored by so many people, on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.