Europe News
9/11 plotter Motassadeq jailed for 15 years
Jan 8, 2007, 19:19 GMT
Hamburg - A Hamburg court on Monday doubled the jail term for Moroccan student Mounir al-Motassadeq, 32, for plotting the 9/11 attacks in the United States to the maximum 15 years in prison.
Motassadeq had been convicted in 2005 of being part of a terrorist cell and sentenced to 7 years, but federal appeal judges last year added a further conviction of accessory to the murder of 246 people on the four hijacked planes.
The sentencing hearing, which began Friday and was interrupted by a series of unsuccessful defence challenges, was the fifth time in court for Motassadeq, after two trials and two appeals relating to the attacks in September 11, 2001, which claimed around 3,000 lives.
The student was a close friend of three of the hijack pilots and a member of their prayer group before they moved to the United States to train as pilots. Although he denies it, judges at two trials were convinced he knew in advance of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Federal prosecutor Walter Hemberger said the Moroccan had come to Germany as a guest, attending a university free to study electrical science, and then plotted the deaths of people of many nationalities including Germans.
A series of defence motions failed to halt the sentence. The defence alleged bias by the three state superior court judges, but separate judges quashed the challenge as the court moved unswervingly to a quick verdict.
The two previous trials in the same high-security courtroom had dragged on for months on end.
Presiding judge Carsten Beckmann said at the case opening Friday that it would be a quick trial, ending Monday, and kept lawyers and court staff in the court Monday till after 7 pm, hours after the usual closing time for German courts.
Udo Jacob, one of two legal-aid lawyers in court for Motassadeq, said despatching the case 'at top speed' amounted to prejudice.
Ladislav Anisic, the lead defence attorney, said earlier that even if sentence were passed Monday, he would continue appeals for his client.
'This is only an intermediate stage on the way up to the next court,' he said outside the courtroom.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Read again...he's an accessory, a friend of theirs and in their prayer group. How much he knew about them, hard to say. That's why its 15yrs.
Good point - Will.
What happened to life? Either this guy was railroaded or we got ripped off!!
He is simply believed to have known about the attacks before hand. It isn't clear if he had anything to do with planning them. I think 15 years is a just sentence.
Guilt by association? The Germans are making a mockery of their 'justice' system.
I'm with Will. What the hell's going on here!! What happened to justice? We've got thousands of troops dying and being injured fighting terrorists and when we catch one of the worst of them, all he gets is 15 measly years???
Anyone convicted of having any connection to a terror plot should be sentenced to death. 15 years is a slap in the face to the families of the victims.
I don't care what the circumstances are: if he knew what was going to happen and did nothing about it he deserves life in prison. Thats less than an hour per person he did nothing to save.
We should be very impressed that the police were able to trace the planning of these murders. It disturbs me that 'prayer' groups are associated with murder. These are educated people. What is the message that they are trying to send about Islam?
Look out, I could have you put in jail too.
3,000 deaths through his complicity. How about 15 year sentence for Mr, Bush?
Well... U.S.A defines life imprisonment as 'rot in jail till you die' whereas several other countries have maximum caps on the jail sentence. Germany has a max of 15 years. Thats what you need to know to analyze this sentence in its true context rather than in an American context.
Giving him life would be far more humane and good for everyone in the long run. Two things are most likely to happen if he is release in 15 yrs.: he'll revert back to his old ways or he can't adjust to the prejudice he'll face as a result of the high profile crime he committed. With his cooperation he can be made far more productive and useful to society inside his cell.
umm... Nick I think you need help with your math. Assuming 3000 people died and he was sentenced to serve an hour for each death, it would amount to 125 days in jail, not even close to a life sentence (Unless he is near death)
Why should some go to jail just for knowing something? If he had something to do with it then give him what he deserves. Most of these 'terroris cases' end up being a bunch of trumped up charges on a friend of a 'terrorist', or someone who has nothing to do with terrorism. Often times their name simply pops up in some sort of mystery database of doom and they get the whole judicial system crushing down on them, without ever doing anything. Perhaps you were a witness on some legal document that they helped their neighbor with. Maybe they went to collage with someone who is now a 'suspected terrorist', now they're both 'suspected terrorists'. Oh, what's this -- you left your pocket knife on your belt before flying? Well, you look aufully arab, so come with us...
Only 15 yrs? After his sentence is complete, he'll be only 47...he'll have enough years left to aide another attack. He should be sentenced for life!
On another note....I totally agree with you Mike..I'm Hindu..but even I can see that because of the actions of certain groups,Islam is widely misunderstood. Islam is not a religion..it is a way of life...and in no way does the Koran advocate mass elimination!
Germans are so hung up on their history that they are totally squeamish about judicial punishment.
They should have given him death.Look at the facts they had against him,he's a terrorist. TERRORISM = DEATH
I will be disgusted in 15 years if he makes it out alive. I am not saying their prison system is horrible, but with that many deaths to many nations working in those buildings there is bound to be some angry people close to the cell they keep him in. Maybe it is just wishful thinking.
Its painfully clear to me that he should have his head cut off like a fewe hostages had happen to them in Iraq. 15 years-like it was mentioned before-if he knew it was going to happen he is as guil; y as the rest. Its about time we started thinking about applyint this to all crininal activity, gangs, terror groups. etc. If you associating with people who cause others harm-all are guilty and should pay the price!!!!
He should!and god willing ROT in HELL
We should start raiding and bombing all such crazy 'prayer' groups. What God will make you kill other people. All of these fanaticism makes me believe lesser in the existence of any God by the moment.
We should start raiding and bombing all such crazy 'prayer' groups. What God will make you kill other people. All of these fanaticism makes me believe lesser in the existence of any God by the moment.
As if any punishment is a deterrent to people who have been indoctrinated by their religion, and who live in seemingly endless poverty, whilst we enjoy prosperity fueled by oil.
Why should be he punished just being a friend or barely know some one? In my opinion he is just an escape goat.By the way where can I get the details about all those hijackers Biography? Where are they from?which Nationalities? Sometime I feel that if I were on any of those hijacked planes and got killed, I would have been labeled as a hijacker too!!
In response to Ken C.'' How could you use those F**K word in your comment?'. Why did you go to some other country and tried to change their lifestle? Have you ever thought about them? You lost your legs due to your president'Mr.Stupid'. Now you blame muslims for that...So pityy....Be a mature man and try to face the reality...You are just being used by the system of your imperial US Government.
Considering that none of the accused hijackers have ever been positively
identified, and that at least 7 of them have an air tight alibi in the
fact they are still alive, it looks like mohamad oswald must have the worst
attorneys on the face of the planet. We don't need any more show trials for
their favorite patsys, what we need is a real investigation of what happened
five years ago on 9/11.
http://www.911initiative.org
he should have life in priseon this is bull
Every one in this world have their thoughts and belief, i dont criticize nor support any individual, what i like to say is , if a person commit crime , he/she should be severely punished as an example for whole crime.
So, i would be delightful if the justice system should be broadcast through video to make every one to understand and judge who is clear criminal or a goat.
And finally, the main focus should be on Terrorism, why is it growing and growing, why a particular community is going to that path. Giving a punishment could solve a problem , NO.... . claps sound come's from both hand's not by one.
'No One Born Terrorists'. is Terrorist dont wanted to live a life with a family, is they dont have relations. is Terrorist are not human being.
Our politicians were incredibly stupid to have sentenced Motassadeq, because al-Qaeda will take bloody revenge. The sad part is, that the bombings will most likely hit ordinary citizens instead of our criminal politicians who'd truly deserve getting blown up.
How many lifes were taken on September 11, 2001???? If he knew anything, wouldn't have been his responsibility to at least alert the police? You get 15 years nowdays for a non-violent drug charge!!!! What's wrong with this picture???
Ya'll seem to know so much about what this man deserves, what evidence is there that he had a hand in all this? All the article said is that he knows some of them from a prayer group. Good thing he's in prison now, he might have started another one; God forbid, people praying together? And without Pat Robertson? Obviously terrorism.
And D. HAMPTON, ooooh! You're so tough and scary, can see how my fingers shake whilst I type this?? I'd better watch who I meet, cause hell, according to you, if they've talked to me, I'm guilty of all their crimes. You can suck my balls.
Are you all brainwashed?! There is NO real evidence against Mottasadeq.
So just stopp your hysteria for a moment. In dubio pro reo. Maybe Motassadeq is just another victim of the attacs.
page: 1
WillJan 8th, 2007 - 20:40:18
Wait, so plotting to kill hundreds of civilians gets you 15 years, but killing one person can get you life in prison? Am I missing something here?
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