WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Accused Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui will plead guilty to charges related to the attacks on Friday, sources close to the case and the U.S. District Court said on Wednesday.
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Slideshow: September 11
Moussaoui, who has been charged with six counts of conspiracy in relation to the Sept. 11, 2001 hijackings, will plead guilty in a court appearance, the sources said.
They said Moussaoui, 36, knew he could face a death sentence if he pleaded guilty. They said there was no plea agreement with the government and Moussaoui's lawyers were opposed to his decision.
The court issued a statement saying a hearing to accept a guilty plea was scheduled for Friday at 3:30 p.m. It gave no further details.
Moussaoui, a French citizen of Moroccan descent, is the only person charged in relation to the hijacked airline attacks on the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people. He is charged with conspiring with al Qaeda in the attacks.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema scheduled the hearing for Friday after meeting with Moussaoui, his lawyers and federal prosecutors this week.
The judge wanted to determine his mental competence after he wrote a letter to her and prosecutors saying he wanted to plead guilty.
Moussaoui's court-appointed lawyers could not be reached and Justice Department officials would not comment beyond the court's statement.
Three years ago Moussaoui tried to plead guilty to the four most serious charges but he changed his mind in the middle of the hearing -- one week after initially saying he wanted to plead guilty.
But at that hearing Moussaoui did admit to being a member of al Qaeda and said he had pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden.
When he changed his mind about the guilty plea, Moussaoui said he would admit to being involved in a conspiracy but denied being involved in the Sept. 11 attacks.
He appears to have changed his mind again.
It was not clear if Moussaoui would plead guilty to all or just some of the charges against him.
Moussaoui was indicted on six charges related to the attacks: conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, to commit aircraft piracy, to destroy aircraft, to use weapons of mass destruction, to murder U.S. employees and to destroy property.
Four counts carry the death penalty.
Moussaoui was arrested on Aug. 16, 2001, on immigration charges after he raised suspicions at a flight school in Minnesota. The commission that investigated the hijacked airliner attacks said Moussaoui was being primed to take part as a pilot.
:MAD
Reuters Photo
AFP
Slideshow: September 11
Moussaoui, who has been charged with six counts of conspiracy in relation to the Sept. 11, 2001 hijackings, will plead guilty in a court appearance, the sources said.
They said Moussaoui, 36, knew he could face a death sentence if he pleaded guilty. They said there was no plea agreement with the government and Moussaoui's lawyers were opposed to his decision.
The court issued a statement saying a hearing to accept a guilty plea was scheduled for Friday at 3:30 p.m. It gave no further details.
Moussaoui, a French citizen of Moroccan descent, is the only person charged in relation to the hijacked airline attacks on the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people. He is charged with conspiring with al Qaeda in the attacks.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema scheduled the hearing for Friday after meeting with Moussaoui, his lawyers and federal prosecutors this week.
The judge wanted to determine his mental competence after he wrote a letter to her and prosecutors saying he wanted to plead guilty.
Moussaoui's court-appointed lawyers could not be reached and Justice Department officials would not comment beyond the court's statement.
Three years ago Moussaoui tried to plead guilty to the four most serious charges but he changed his mind in the middle of the hearing -- one week after initially saying he wanted to plead guilty.
But at that hearing Moussaoui did admit to being a member of al Qaeda and said he had pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden.
When he changed his mind about the guilty plea, Moussaoui said he would admit to being involved in a conspiracy but denied being involved in the Sept. 11 attacks.
He appears to have changed his mind again.
It was not clear if Moussaoui would plead guilty to all or just some of the charges against him.
Moussaoui was indicted on six charges related to the attacks: conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, to commit aircraft piracy, to destroy aircraft, to use weapons of mass destruction, to murder U.S. employees and to destroy property.
Four counts carry the death penalty.
Moussaoui was arrested on Aug. 16, 2001, on immigration charges after he raised suspicions at a flight school in Minnesota. The commission that investigated the hijacked airliner attacks said Moussaoui was being primed to take part as a pilot.
:MAD
