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‘Government can seek death penalty for Moussaoui’

WASHINGTON: A US appeals court on Thursday said Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in the September 11, 2001 attacks, must have access to information from suspected Al Qaeda leaders, but not the men themselves. The Fourth US Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, ordered trial Judge Leonie Brinkema to find a way for Moussaoui to present an adequate defence without having the Al Qaeda members appear in court to testify, agreeing with US authorities who said that would harm national security. The court also said prosecutors could seek the death penalty against Moussaoui and present evidence he was part of an Al Qaeda conspiracy, overturning sanctions imposed by Brinkema. In a statement, Attorney General John Ashcroft hailed the court’s ruling. “The government will not be required to provide Moussaoui with interactive access to detained terrorists,” Ashcroft said. “This ruling also allows us to seek the death penalty, and to present evidence regarding the conspiracy of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.” —AFP

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