Moussaoui: Every American Is My Enemy
MOUSSAOUI TRIAL: ‘Every American is my enemy,’ terrorist testifies
By CHRISTIE COOMBS
For the Patriot Ledger
Editor’s note: The husband of Christie Coombs of Abington was killed on a plane flown into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. This is her account of watching the sentencing trial of the only person charged in the attacks.
His voice still resonates in my mind. The image of his face is embedded in my brain, alongside the piercing stare and frightening voice of Mohammed Atta, the pilot-hijacker of Flight 11. Although I couldn’t see him clearly on the closed-circuit TV monitor, I got a sense of the hollowness of this man,
Zacarias Moussaoui.
I could almost see death in his eyes.
I could certainly feel the hatred that fills his soul.
I heard the low, strangely soft tone of the admitted terrorist as he spewed his contempt for Americans yesterday. Though difficult to understand, he remained uncharacteristically controlled during his four hours on the witness stand. He was respectful of his role as a witness and had obviously learned a lot about witness behavior and etiquette during the last three weeks.
Moussaoui was calculating during his testimony. Every word was well-thought-out, even as he attempted to twist the testimony to his favor. Throughout his testimony in the federal court in Alexandria, Va., he said how he told lies to ‘‘tease Americans’’ or to amuse himself.
Moussaoui, a French citizen, was arrested in August 2001, for an immigration violation.
He says he was part of the planning for the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, in New York and Washington, and lied to FBI agents so the plot could go forward. The jury will decide whether he spends his life in prison or is executed.
Some of us in Boston who had lost loved ones on Sept. 11 had discussed whether we wanted to hear him speak. We fully expected him to be out of control. We were unsure how much of him we could stomach. We all decided to stay, knowing we had a safe place to go (our break room staffed by counselors and caring people from the Mass 9/11 Fund) if we needed to.
Moussaoui took the stand yesterday against the advice of his lawyers, and for perhaps the first time since the trial began, testimony favored the prosecution.
Moussaoui approached the bench slowly, carrying a pad and a cup of water. He asked Judge Leonie Brinkema ‘‘Can I speak?’’ but she didn’t answer and warned him to ‘‘tell the truth.’’
The defense began the questioning, asking him to explain the circumstances of his imprisonment since his Aug. 16, 2001, arrest. He confirmed that he has been in isolation since December 2001.
The line of questioning moved directly into his role, if any, in the Sept. 11 plot. With regard to his signature on ‘‘statement of facts,’’ the defense asked why he signed it ‘‘the 20th Hijacker.’’ He answered ‘‘Why not? Everyone had been referring to me as the 20th hijacker, and it was in a bit of fun.’’
He testified that he was not the 20th hijacker of the Sept. 11 plot, but later said he was to be the pilot of a fifth plane that would fly into the White House that day. He shocked the court and many watching when he said Richard Reid, known as the shoe bomber, was the person assigned to assist him. He said he did not know for sure who the other hijackers would be.
In the 4½ years since Sept. 11, to my own knowledge and that of other victims’ relatives, Moussaoui’s statement was the first one associating him with Reid. It left many of us wondering if Moussaoui was then telling the truth, or just relaying information that might ‘‘amuse’’ Americans or send us in a tailspin.
He also testified that he knew about the World Trade Center attacks, but not in detail.
‘‘I had knowledge that the Twin Towers would be hit,’’ said Moussaoui.
The prosecution helped Moussaoui recall how jubilant he felt on Sept. 11, saying it was ‘‘in one word, gorgeous. America takes its medicine.’’
During a discussion about the death penalty with the defense team, he stated that all Americans wanted him dead because ‘‘every American is my enemy.’’ He also hinted that death at the hands of America could still be considered martyrdom as long as he ‘‘fought to the end’’ as Jihad instructs.
Moussaoui concluded his testimony by saying he was ‘‘grateful to be an al-Qaida member.’’
As we left the courthouse yesterday, we wondered how the jury would perceive Moussaoui’s testimony. Would he be believable to them? Were they thinking, like some of us, that if he was part of the Sept. 11 plot, why didn’t he have more information about his mission less than one month before it was to happen?
Too many open-ended questions leave some of us still wondering if the jury has enough to continue the trial into the death sentence phase. They see it from a different point of view, without the emotional ties that we have.
Our perception of this trial and of Moussaoui is definitely altered by the pain and suffering of the loss we have experienced, and continue to feel each day, but I think we still have a clear understanding of what is right.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You know I dont want this Scumbag to Fry! I want him to spend every last moment of his life behind bars, in Mainstream, with all the other Scumbag's and get a taste of what he REALLY deserves. (I think you all know what I mean without saying it) I dont want him to be a Martyr. Besides I think he knows ALOT more about Al-Quaida and someday someone will make him talk.
By CHRISTIE COOMBS
For the Patriot Ledger
Editor’s note: The husband of Christie Coombs of Abington was killed on a plane flown into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. This is her account of watching the sentencing trial of the only person charged in the attacks.
His voice still resonates in my mind. The image of his face is embedded in my brain, alongside the piercing stare and frightening voice of Mohammed Atta, the pilot-hijacker of Flight 11. Although I couldn’t see him clearly on the closed-circuit TV monitor, I got a sense of the hollowness of this man,
Zacarias Moussaoui.
I could almost see death in his eyes.
I could certainly feel the hatred that fills his soul.
I heard the low, strangely soft tone of the admitted terrorist as he spewed his contempt for Americans yesterday. Though difficult to understand, he remained uncharacteristically controlled during his four hours on the witness stand. He was respectful of his role as a witness and had obviously learned a lot about witness behavior and etiquette during the last three weeks.
Moussaoui was calculating during his testimony. Every word was well-thought-out, even as he attempted to twist the testimony to his favor. Throughout his testimony in the federal court in Alexandria, Va., he said how he told lies to ‘‘tease Americans’’ or to amuse himself.
Moussaoui, a French citizen, was arrested in August 2001, for an immigration violation.
He says he was part of the planning for the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, in New York and Washington, and lied to FBI agents so the plot could go forward. The jury will decide whether he spends his life in prison or is executed.
Some of us in Boston who had lost loved ones on Sept. 11 had discussed whether we wanted to hear him speak. We fully expected him to be out of control. We were unsure how much of him we could stomach. We all decided to stay, knowing we had a safe place to go (our break room staffed by counselors and caring people from the Mass 9/11 Fund) if we needed to.
Moussaoui took the stand yesterday against the advice of his lawyers, and for perhaps the first time since the trial began, testimony favored the prosecution.
Moussaoui approached the bench slowly, carrying a pad and a cup of water. He asked Judge Leonie Brinkema ‘‘Can I speak?’’ but she didn’t answer and warned him to ‘‘tell the truth.’’
The defense began the questioning, asking him to explain the circumstances of his imprisonment since his Aug. 16, 2001, arrest. He confirmed that he has been in isolation since December 2001.
The line of questioning moved directly into his role, if any, in the Sept. 11 plot. With regard to his signature on ‘‘statement of facts,’’ the defense asked why he signed it ‘‘the 20th Hijacker.’’ He answered ‘‘Why not? Everyone had been referring to me as the 20th hijacker, and it was in a bit of fun.’’
He testified that he was not the 20th hijacker of the Sept. 11 plot, but later said he was to be the pilot of a fifth plane that would fly into the White House that day. He shocked the court and many watching when he said Richard Reid, known as the shoe bomber, was the person assigned to assist him. He said he did not know for sure who the other hijackers would be.
In the 4½ years since Sept. 11, to my own knowledge and that of other victims’ relatives, Moussaoui’s statement was the first one associating him with Reid. It left many of us wondering if Moussaoui was then telling the truth, or just relaying information that might ‘‘amuse’’ Americans or send us in a tailspin.
He also testified that he knew about the World Trade Center attacks, but not in detail.
‘‘I had knowledge that the Twin Towers would be hit,’’ said Moussaoui.
The prosecution helped Moussaoui recall how jubilant he felt on Sept. 11, saying it was ‘‘in one word, gorgeous. America takes its medicine.’’
During a discussion about the death penalty with the defense team, he stated that all Americans wanted him dead because ‘‘every American is my enemy.’’ He also hinted that death at the hands of America could still be considered martyrdom as long as he ‘‘fought to the end’’ as Jihad instructs.
Moussaoui concluded his testimony by saying he was ‘‘grateful to be an al-Qaida member.’’
As we left the courthouse yesterday, we wondered how the jury would perceive Moussaoui’s testimony. Would he be believable to them? Were they thinking, like some of us, that if he was part of the Sept. 11 plot, why didn’t he have more information about his mission less than one month before it was to happen?
Too many open-ended questions leave some of us still wondering if the jury has enough to continue the trial into the death sentence phase. They see it from a different point of view, without the emotional ties that we have.
Our perception of this trial and of Moussaoui is definitely altered by the pain and suffering of the loss we have experienced, and continue to feel each day, but I think we still have a clear understanding of what is right.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You know I dont want this Scumbag to Fry! I want him to spend every last moment of his life behind bars, in Mainstream, with all the other Scumbag's and get a taste of what he REALLY deserves. (I think you all know what I mean without saying it) I dont want him to be a Martyr. Besides I think he knows ALOT more about Al-Quaida and someday someone will make him talk.
posted by Marie's Two Cents | 2:45 PM
3 Comments:
Life without parole at Leavenworth breaking big rocks into little rocks into pebbles into sand...
Don't need to kill him & make him a martyr, just need to make him an example.
I agree Dave.
Exactly Tom.
Post a Comment
<< Home