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Moussaoui wants trial in Denver: City has fresh air, is safe and neutral, accused terrorist says
Rocky Mountain News ^ | 6/19/02 | Sue Lindsay

Posted on 06/19/2002 9:26:08 AM PDT by Jean S

Accused terrorist Zaccarias Moussaoui wants to move his trial to Denver because he says it's safer, the air is better and fewer government employees would wind up on the jury.

Moussaoui, 34, the only person charged in the United States for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, made the request in a motion unsealed Monday by the federal judge in his Alexandria, Va., trial.

Moussaoui is charged with conspiring with 19 hijackers who commandeered four airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in rural Pennsylvania, killing more than 3,000 people. If convicted, he faces the death penalty.

Jury selection will begin Sept. 30.

Moussaoui asked to have his trial moved to Denver in a hand-scrawled motion filed April 26. He is representing himself, with assistance from court-appointed advisory lawyers.

"My case should be moved to a 'more neutral' location, such as Denver Colorado to ensure a greater feeling of personal safety for the jury and therefore reduce slightly the level of hostility and increase the ability to make rational decision," the motion said.

"It is well known that Denver Colorado is recognize in the general public as a safe secure location," said Moussaoui, making reference to the nation's highest maximum-security federal penitentiary in Florence.

"No doubt the high altitude and the fresh air will bring back some sense of security," he wrote.

"A judge in Colorado might feel less afraid and more confident," he said.

Moussaoui also argued that the Washington, D.C., area is an unsuitable venue because too many government workers could wind up in the jury pool.

"In order to inject some sense in this inquisition-style judicial process, this court must move the current process to a location where the representation of the crusaders will be in line with their national representation," he wrote.

Moussaoui made passing mention of convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, whose trial was moved to Denver, along with the trial of co-defendant Terry Nichols.

"If such a transfer of jurisdiction were made, we'd be up to the task," said Jim Manspeaker, clerk of Denver's U.S. District Court.

Manspeaker said a copy of the court's jury selection plan was requested last week by a person with a Virginia return address, but he did not know if the request was related to the Moussaoui case. The plan explains what parts of the state the jury pool would come from and how the jurors are selected for the pool.

Moussaoui's comments about Denver's clean air seemed ironic as a pall of smoke from the Hayman Fire hung over the city Tuesday.

"He didn't step outside here today, did he?" Manspeaker said.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Colorado
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1 posted on 06/19/2002 9:26:08 AM PDT by Jean S
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To: JeanS
The more this guy says the stupider he's going to sound. Maybe he has some jihadis waiting for a jihadi jailbreak in Denver.
2 posted on 06/19/2002 9:27:49 AM PDT by johniegrad
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To: JeanS
I want five billion dollars and a pony.
3 posted on 06/19/2002 9:28:28 AM PDT by dighton
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To: JeanS
I vote we move it to San Diego, where the huge military and government population will be sure to convict this b*stard. Plus, we have lovely, refreshing ocean breezes.
Stupid prick.

Pardon my language.

4 posted on 06/19/2002 9:29:04 AM PDT by Mrs.Liberty
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To: johniegrad
Maybe he has some jihadis waiting for a jihadi jailbreak in Denver.

My thoughts exactly. This sounds like a tipoff that al Qaeda cell exists there. Perhaps they'll suicide-bomb the courthouse and this creep can get his fresh-air virgins.

5 posted on 06/19/2002 9:33:02 AM PDT by PoisedWoman
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To: JeanS
Wasn't McVeigh tried in Denver?

Maybe Moussaoui likes that "World Anthem" that was played at some Denver high school graduations?

6 posted on 06/19/2002 9:33:58 AM PDT by Trailerpark Badass
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To: Mrs.Liberty
I vote we move it to San Diego,

That would be something. Moussaoui/Westerfield...a double header.

7 posted on 06/19/2002 9:36:11 AM PDT by Jagdgewehr
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To: johniegrad
Maybe he has some jihadis waiting for a jihadi jailbreak in Denver.

Not so impossible. There's a thriving nazi scene in Detroit, and one particular nazi who seem to have been involved in serious crime is from there. Incidentally, that particular nazi is one of those who have been calling for a close cooperation with the jihadis.

Fresh air indeed :).

8 posted on 06/19/2002 9:37:20 AM PDT by Cachelot
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To: JeanS
to ensure a greater feeling of personal safety for the jury

Sounds like a veiled threat to me.

9 posted on 06/19/2002 9:40:27 AM PDT by Maceman
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To: Cachelot
Fresh air indeed :)

Indeed....

10 posted on 06/19/2002 9:44:19 AM PDT by r9etb
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To: JeanS
Say, isn't Denver where Clancy's arabic terrorists set off their Super Bowl surprise in "The [real] Sum of All Fears"?

These guys seem to have a knack for Clancy's stuff. Maybe Zack wants to go out with a bang.....

11 posted on 06/19/2002 9:45:31 AM PDT by DocCincy
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To: Cachelot
Nazi's in Detroit or Denver???
12 posted on 06/19/2002 9:45:39 AM PDT by Portnoy
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To: JeanS
I wonder if he wants to be moved further away from an upcoming target of a catastophic attack?
13 posted on 06/19/2002 9:45:51 AM PDT by AdA$tra
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To: Cachelot
Wasn't there an al-Furqa cell located in Colorado?
14 posted on 06/19/2002 9:46:39 AM PDT by Catspaw
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To: Maceman
Sounds like a veiled threat to me.

Not even veiled, I'd say.

15 posted on 06/19/2002 9:47:06 AM PDT by Cachelot
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To: Catspaw
Wasn't there an al-Furqa cell located in Colorado?

Can't remember off the top of my head. Probably, they've been all over the place.

16 posted on 06/19/2002 9:48:39 AM PDT by Cachelot
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To: JeanS
This is the second terrorist that has asked that their trial be moved away from DC.

My question would be, do they know something about impending peril for DC and want to be out of the area for that reason?

17 posted on 06/19/2002 9:49:44 AM PDT by dawn53
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To: Portnoy
Nazi's in Detroit or Denver???

Lol. Sorry, meant to type Denver :)). A zillion apologies to Detroit.

18 posted on 06/19/2002 9:52:25 AM PDT by Cachelot
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To: JeanS
Let's move the trial to Texas.
19 posted on 06/19/2002 9:58:43 AM PDT by camrad
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To: JeanS
I wonder how the residents of Denver feel about having Al Queda members seeing there city as neutral in the war between the United States and Al Queda?
20 posted on 06/19/2002 10:00:46 AM PDT by per loin
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