Trial told of Moussaoui ‘lies’

PROSECUTORS in Zacarias Moussaoui’s death penalty trial in Alexandria, Virginia, yesterday sought to unravel his claims that he knew nothing of the September 11, 2001, attacks, arguing that al-Qaida members are carefully trained to lie when caught.

FBI agent Michael Anticev, testifying for a second day, offered the jury a lesson on al-Qaida cover stories and the organisation’s techniques of deception when cell members are questioned.

Moussaoui’s lawyers are portraying the 37-year-old French citizen as a pathetic loner who dreamed of becoming a terrorist but was shut out of September 11 planning and considered by one al-Qaida leader as “cuckoo in the head”.

They also want to show the government knew far more about brewing al-Qaida plots than Moussaoui did, and in that vein pressed Anticev on what the FBI was doing to follow up on warning signals before the attacks.

Mr Anticev at first asserted, “I don’t think anybody was looking at using aircraft as weapons”, but acknowledged under questioning that the FBI had been aware of supposed plans to fly airliners into the Eiffel Tower and CIA headquarters.

Moussaoui has been less disruptive than in earlier proceedings, but when leaving the courtroom for a recess, declared, “God curse America” and his lawyers, and “God bless Osama bin Laden.”

Mr Anticev read excerpts from an al-Qaida training manual that included instructions on coded communications and how to develop a cover story if cell members are detained.

The manual says members should be prepared to answer questions about how they got their travel money, whether they belong to religious organisations and more.

When Moussaoui was arrested in the month before the attacks, he told the FBI his flight training was merely an “ego-boosting thing”.

The government argues Moussaoui should be put to death rather than imprisoned for life because he told lies that prevented authorities from foiling attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.