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UNITED STATES. MOUSSAOUI MAY BE EXECUTED FOR 9/11 CRIMES
April 3, 2006: a US jury found Zacarias Moussaoui eligible for the death penalty, and the convicted Sept. 11 conspirator shouted as he was led out of the court: "You'll never get my blood. God curse you all."
The same 12-person federal panel was due to return three days later to begin a second phase of his sentencing trial and decide whether he would be executed for his role in the hijacked airliner attacks or sentenced to life in prison.
After about 17 hours of deliberation, the jury found that Moussaoui lied to the FBI following his arrest three weeks before the Sept. 11 attacks and the lies led to deaths in the hijacked airliner attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
"Your findings mean we move on to phase two where the jury ... ultimately (has) to make a final decision as to what sentence will be imposed," said US District Judge Leonie Brinkema. Moussaoui was the only person to be charged in the United States in connection with Sept. 11. In 2005 the 37-year-old Frenchman of Moroccan descent pleaded guilty to six counts of conspiracy in connection with the deadly hijackings. Three of the counts carried a possible death sentence. (Sources: Reuters, 03/04/2006)
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