9/11 plotter handed maximum jail term

A German court today handed the maximum sentence of 15 years in prison to a Moroccan convicted of being an accessory to murder for aiding the September 11 attackers.

A federal appeals court had convicted Mounir el Motassadeq, a friend of three of the suicide pilots, of the charge in November and sent the case to a state court in Hamburg for sentencing.

Just before today's verdict, the 32-year-old defendant exchanged charged words with an American co-plaintiff whose mother died on board one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Centre.

Dominic Puopolo earlier joined prosecutors in calling for the maximum penalty, urging the judges to consider the "human and emotional cost" of the 2001 attacks.

El Motassadeq, a slight bearded man, turned to Puopolo and said: "I understand your suffering.... The same thing is being done to me, my kids, my parents, my family - my future is ruined."

Puopolo, granted permission to respond, said he forgave el Motassadeq, and reminded him that he would one day be freed.

"You have a chance to rebuild your life and be back with your family. Others don't," Puopolo said. "Your life is not over, but my mum's is."