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| Jurors: Death for Moussaoui |
| Tuesday, April 04, 2006 |
'20th hijacker' eligible for capital punishment
Zacarias Moussaoui is eligible for the death penalty for his role in the 9-11 terrorist attacks, a jury ruled today in Alexandria, Va.
The jurors decided he can be executed on all three convictions, conspiracy to commit terrorism, conspiracy to destroy aircraft and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction.
The trial of the so-called "20th hijacker" now moves to the second phase to determine whether he deserves capital punishment. Moussaoui is the only person to face charges in the U.S. in connection with the 9-11 attacks.
The jury, which began deliberating last Wednesday, asked a question about only about one of the convictions, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. The jurors were told that a plane used as a missile meets the definition of a WMD.
Last April, the 37-year-old Frenchman pleaded guilty to conspiring with al-Qaida on the plot.
The jury was required to find Moussaoui responsible for at least one death on 9-11 for him to be eligible for execution.
Prosecutors argued that although Moussaoui was in custody at the time of the attacks, he could have changed the outcome by revealing his knowledge of the plot and his ties to al-Qaida. |
posted by Jay Are @ 1:05:00 PM   |
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