Zacarias Moussaoui, the self-proclaimed ’20th hijacker’ convicted for his involvement in the 9/11 attacks, has sparked outrage after requesting to be transferred from a U.S. Supermax prison to France. In a letter to federal Judge Leonie Brinkema, Moussaoui expressed concerns about a potential future Donald Trump administration, claiming it could lead to his execution.
Moussaoui, imprisoned at ADX Florence in Colorado, argued that he had previously collaborated with U.S. authorities against al Qaeda operatives like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. He pleaded with Brinkema to order his transfer to France, citing a possible scenario where Trump, if re-elected, would use a presidential executive order to sentence him to death.
He wrote, “Instead, your honor might concur that there is a possibility of, not a probability, that if the ex-U.S. President Donald Trump was to be reelected, he will sentence me to death by presidential executive order.”
His letter, referencing Trump’s Justice Department dropping charges against Gen. Michael Flynn, painted a picture of a shift in his demeanor. Moussaoui’s 2006 trial was marked by insults, courtroom outbursts, and even a claim – later recanted – that he was meant to hijack a fifth plane into the White House. In contrast, his letter displayed a more calculated approach, appealing to the judge’s sense of justice and highlighting the potential for a transfer before Trump’s potential re-election in 2025.
In response to Moussaoui’s plea, a dozen U.S. senators, led by Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, penned a letter to President Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging them to disregard the request. The letter stated, “No consideration whatsoever should be given to this convicted terrorist’s preferences for where to serve his sentence for his heinous crimes, and we demand that you swiftly deny his transfer request and force him to spend the remainder of his pathetic life imprisoned in the country he and his fellow terrorists attacked 23 years ago.”
Sen. John Hoeven echoed the sentiment, stating that Moussaoui and his co-conspirators inflicted irreparable damage and grief on the victims and their families. Other senators, including Marsha Blackburn, Ted Cruz, Thom Tillis, Shelley Moore Capito, Mike Braun, Bill Cassidy, Pete Ricketts, James Risch, and Mike Crapo, joined in the call to deny the transfer.
The Justice Department, while not commenting on the specific request, stated that Moussaoui is serving a life sentence for terrorism offenses and will remain in U.S. custody. The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Moussaoui’s arrest in August 2001 followed suspicions about his attempt to take flight training classes. He also allegedly received $14,000 from Ramzi bin Alshibh, another 9/11 co-conspirator whose visa application was denied, preventing him from entering the U.S.
The request, first published on the Legal Insurrection website, has sparked a debate about justice, punishment, and the enduring legacy of the 9/11 attacks. It remains to be seen how the Biden administration will respond to the plea, and whether the plea will have any impact on Moussaoui’s sentence.
