Posted on 04/06/2003 1:17:00 AM PST by Prince Charles
September 11 trial near collapse
From Roland Watson in Washington
WASHINGTON'S hopes of convicting the only man charged with a role in the September 11 attacks in a public trial were close to collapse last night.
The District Judge from Alexandria, Virginia, presiding over the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui said that she doubted the Bush Administration's ability to prosecute the case given the "shroud of secrecy" thrown over the details.
Judge Leonie Brinkema said that she was disturbed that the Government had classified so many court papers and orders. She agreed with the defendant's scepticism that the case could proceed in open court. The Government had taken inconsistent positions on why details should be classified, the judge added.
Her doubts may persuade lawyers that they should drop the case and instead try Mr Moussaoui in a military tribunal, in camera.
The trial is already on hold while the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, decides whether to uphold Judge Brinkema's order that Mr Moussaoui be allowed access to one of the senior al-Qaeda figures in US custody, Ramzi Binalshibh. US officials have said that Binalshibh identified Mr Moussaoui as a backup figure in the attacks. Mr Moussaoui has argued that only if he can meet Binalshibh can he prove that to be false.
He has also asked for access to two other al-Qaeda prisoners. The Government argues that granting access would compromise national security.
Mr Moussaoui, who is acting as his own lawyer, has admitted being an al-Qaeda member, but denies any role in the September 11 attacks. He was arrested a month before the attacks on a visa violation.
If you don't have enough evidence, that you can make avaliable, to secure a conviction.. Then why go to court in the first place?
Don't they know how bad it will look if the case collapses?
ZM is not guilty of a crime that the civil justice system can prosecute him for, and convict him, without prostituting justice. (I suppose the courts could convict him and sentence him to death because they are on our side, but the courts are already politicized enough).
Moussaoui is guilty of violating the laws of war, in that he is clearly an enemy soldier (by his own admission), behind our lines and out of uniform. This is not a violation of the US Code and the federal Courts have no place in judging him.
My contention has been that he should have been taken at dawn on 9/12/01 to Rector Street in Manhattan and been put up against a wall and shot.
Since this was not done, the next best thing is for him to be turned over to the military for a court martial followed by a prompt execution.
It was a serious mistake to "indict" him for nonexistent crimes.
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