Jailed for 3,000 murders (Atta's accountant receives German "justice")

The London Evening Standard ^ | Feb. 19, 2003 | Allan Hall

[seamus]

The only man to face a court over the 11 September atrocities was jailed for life by judges in Germany today.

Moroccan Mounir el Motassadeq, known as "the book-keeper", was sentenced for his part in the murders of more than 3,000 people.

In a 14-week trial he was described as the accountant of the terror cell led by Mohammed Atta, the 33-year-old Egyptian believed to have been at the controls of one of the planes which smashed into the World Trade Center.

He handled the finances of the fanatical Muslim terrorists as they studied in Hamburg and then, later, when they travelled to America to learn to fly the jets which they were to hijack and turn into flying bombs. Motassadeq, 28, was charged with being an accessory to more than 3,000 murders - the victims of the Twin Towers attack in New York, the assault on the Pentagon and the flight which crashed in Pennsylvania as passengers fought hijackers en route to the White House.

He was also accused of being a member of al Qaeda and supporting the illegal terror cell. He received the maximum sentence possible in a German court of 15 years, which is the equivalent of a life sentence.

Motassadeq had painted himself as a man being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He admitted travelling to one of Osama bin Laden's terror academies in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and learning how to shoot a Kalashnikov rifle - but he said he had no part in the 11 September plot.

He admitted looking after some of the financial affairs of the group but said he did so merely as a friend, despite evidence which proved he had acted as their financial adviser, even receiving power of attorney over the bank account of suicide hijacker Marwan al-Shehhi.

Questioned by the senior judge, Albrecht Mentz, about Atta's intentions Motassadeq claimed: "Suicide attacks were never discussed. In my opinion, that is not a solution ... Suicide bombers are not martyrs. Even in war, there are rules."

He added: "Perhaps Atta was of a different opinion ... But Atta never spoke about any attacks."

The five judges acknowledged that the loose-knit nature of al Qaeda meant there was little more than circumstantial evidence to link him to the plot but emphasised this was enough for a guilty verdict.

According to some witnesses, Motassadeq was as radical as the rest of the group, often talking of jihad - holy war - and his hatred of Israel and the United States.

The most dramatic testimony came from FBI Special Agent Matthew Walsh, who brought to life the terror aboard American Flight 11, the first to strike the Twin Towers, with details of a call made by a flight attendant to airline authorities.

"The flight attendant stated that it was very hard to breathe so we assumed that some sort of mace or other gas was used," he said.

"She said 'the passenger in 10B has stabbed a passenger in the seat in front of him', and she thought the passenger was already dead."

Walsh's evidence formed a key part of the state's case by injecting gruesome terror into otherwise often dry proceedings which concentrated on documents such as Atta's gas bill and bank account.

Relatives of victims gave evidence including American Steven Push, whose wife Lisa died in the attacks.

[seamus]

He received the maximum sentence possible in a German court of 15 years, which is the equivalent of a life sentence.

Is there any more proof that terrorists need to be taken care of in the most severe way -- destroyed -- than this story? This is the sort of "International Justice" the peaceniks are fighting for -- 15 years in jail. Even if it's 15 years for each life taken -- in this case that would add up to 45,000 years -- the symbolism of getting less jail time for committing these acts of terrorism than bank robbers or "three strikes and you're out" convicts is deplorable.

I'd still like someone to explain to me how 15 years is the "equivalant" of a life sentence -- even in pacifist Germany.

[kesg]

One solution would be to extradite this guy to the United States, but the Germans won't do it because we have capital punishment. Given their history, they have some nerve (or something).

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[GoAhead-Make My Day]

Pathetic.

[Amerimom2]

15 yrs!!!!! now whats wrong with this picture...what message is it sending to future terrorists? Kill 3,000+ people, spend a short time in prison...disgusting!

[Blood of Tyrants]

That amounts to less than 2 days per murdered victim.

[CasearianDaoist]

The sad thing here is the fact that the German mostly likely consider this to be a hrsh sentence.

[seamus]

Yes. As I now understand it, 15 years is actually just 15 years. That Germany considers this a "life sentence" shows just how low a value they place on life.

But what the hell. It was mostly Americans who were killed anyway, right? No need to spill any lager over those war-mongering Yanks who had it coming, right? (/sarcasm)

[The FRugitive]

known as "the book-keeper"

Wow, that sounds very scary.

[Michael81Dus]

It is harsh, considering that life-long means 15-20 years and that the convicted hasn´t killed anyone but "just" is found guilty of aiding and abetting.
He received the MAXIMUM PENALTY.

[discostu]

I know this is gonna get me flamed but it needs to be said:
He's just an accountant. In America you can be an accountant for the bad guys and unless you're accounting practices are illegal you won't get any jail time. There's nothing illegal about paying the utility bills of a raving psychotic killer, immoral sure but not illegal.

[Michael81Dus]

Thanks for your sarcasm, some dozens of Germans died too. And we don´t difference between American, Iraqi or German lives. Human life is human life.

[Highest Authority]

Maybe some guard could be "convinced" to let an "accident" happen .... like a fatal electrocution!!!

[Psycho_Bunny]

"maximum sentence possible in a German court of 15 years, which is the equivalent of a life sentence. "

No way. There's no way that could possibly be what it sounds like.

[UncleSamUSA]

Proof positive that the Brits who are protesting against the US and against Tony Blair are stupid beyond belief:

"He received the maximum sentence possible in a German court of 15 years, which is the equivalent of a life sentence."

15 years is the equivalent of a life sentence??? This is just too stupid, too moronic, too idiotic to believe.

OK, for all you blockheads in the UK.. please listen carefully, I'll say this slowly....

15 years is the equivalent of 15 years.
Life in prison is open ended.. for as long as you live.

Get it?? Eh, probably not.

[blackbag]

A Happy fellow

[seamus]

It is harsh, considering that life-long means 15-20 years...

Are you smoking crack? The guy will be out of prison when he is younger than President Bush is today. How you think 15-20 years -- the same amount of time that has elapsed since a young professional in his early 30s would have graduated from high school -- is "life-long" is beyond me.

And yes, I know that some dozens of Germans died. My point is that Germany is a soft country that doesn't take criminal justice seriously. And as others have pointed out on this thread, the Germans -- and Euros in general -- like to morally preen over the fact that America has a "barbarous" death penalty and they don't. Perhaps, but when one is a willing accomplice to the long-planned murder of more than 3,000 people, he should die. Period. And he certainly should not get out of prison just in time to qualify as a rookie on the Senior PGA Tour.

[Kay Soze]

15 Years when you kill 3,000 people!!

No ownder Germany is the host to so many of histories genocides!

No wonder the terrorists use Germany as their hub of operations.

So if we launch resumption of hostilities against Iraq for their failing to comply with the 1991 cease fire, will the germans then fine the US five of six bucks?

[Michael81Dus]

No, I never smoked any drugs. I take them through my nose. ;-))

Life-long is because of a sentence of our highest court not life-long. BTW, the guy here must not get life-long, because he´s "just" guilty of aiding. That´s the maximum by law. Life-long ends after 15-20 years, because every human has the right to get free once! Our Court concluded that from our Art. 1 Constitution saying that the dignity of every human is untouchable.

[Michael81Dus]

In fact, our laws are the result of the genocide. We protect the individual against the state. The individual is higher than emotions or revenge. 15 years are enough for him, he hasn´t killed anyone. He aided the murderers, not more or less.