ADP

Zacarias Moussaoui

Zacarias Moussaoui joined al-Qaeda's conspiracy to use commercial aircraft in terrorist attacks and pleaded guilty to six conspiracy counts arising from the plot that included 11 September 2001. The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people, including eight children; the youngest, Christine Lee Hanson, was two and a half. Moussaoui was already in custody and was not one of the 19 hijackers.

At a glance

What happened
Moussaoui trained on a jet simulator in Minnesota and was detained on 16 August 2001. His admitted conspiracies concerned terrorism, aircraft piracy and destruction, weapons of mass destruction, murder of U.S. employees and destruction of U.S. property.
When
Detained: 16 August 2001. Attacks by other conspirators: 11 September 2001. Life sentence: 4 May 2006; appellate affirmance: 2010.
Where
Pilot training in Eagan, Minnesota; federal prosecution in Alexandria, Virginia. The conspiracy's September 11 attacks struck New York and the Pentagon and ended with a fourth aircraft crashing in Pennsylvania.
Why / motive
His admitted criminal purpose was participation in al-Qaeda's conspiracy to use aircraft in terrorist attacks.
Outcome
Sentenced on 4 May 2006 to life imprisonment without possibility of release on all six conspiracy counts. The Fourth Circuit affirmed the convictions and sentences in 2010.

Who is involved

  • Zacarias Moussaoui — subject

Sources

  1. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca4/06-4494/064494.p-2011-03-15.html“Paraphrase: Moussaoui pleaded guilty to six al-Qaeda aircraft-terrorism conspiracy counts, was detained 16 August 2001 after Minnesota pilot training, remained in custody during 9/11, and received life without release; appellate court affir”
  2. Zacarias Moussaoui“Paraphrase: Sentenced 4 May 2006 to life without release.”
  3. Zacarias Moussaoui“Paraphrase: Life without release sentence entered 4 May 2006.”
  4. https://m.911memorial.org/connect/blog/new-view-youngest-911-victims-stuffed-peter-rabbit“Paraphrase: Eight children died aboard hijacked planes on September 11; Christine Lee Hanson was the youngest, aged two and a half.”

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