The Moussaoui Trial Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Moussaoui Trial - Case Study ExampleThe prosecution, and public opinion, pursued the charges on the basis of the emotional tidal wave in the wake of 9/11. By legal standards, the trial was questionable, though technically correct. By clean- life story and ethical standards, Moussaoui did not have an opportunity for a fair trial under the intent of the law and was convicted as an example as the only living perpetrator loosely connected to Al Quedas 9/11 action.The Federal Bureau of Investigation had lost credibility with their under handling of the Moussaoui situation in late August 2001. After extensive questioning of Moussaoui the FBI was convinced that he has some connection to a terrorist network. According to testimony by FBI agent scourge Samit, there were multiple signs of a possible terrorist link. Samit testified,I was aware that frequently terrorists to mask suspicious travel or frequent travel, that couldnt be explained by their profession or by their nationality, w ould regularly destroy passports accidentally or report them stolen in order to mask that travel, so they werent carrying incriminating entry and exit stamps (testimonial, 888).Clearly Moussaoui fit all these criteria for suspicion. However, the most the FBI could legally charge Moussaoui with was a Visa violation. He was ar be on August 17, merely posted bond and was released on August 20, 2001 (Testimony, 898). Moussaouis arrest and quick release was the result of disinterested attitudes by FBI administrators as well as policies that were legally hampered by bureaucracy. In the review of 9/11, the FBI had an image to protect.As a map to the road the trial was to take, we need to look no farther than the opening statement of U.S. attorney Robert Spencer. though there was never any evidence that Moussaoui had any detailed knowledge of 9/11 prior to the action, the prosecution painted a different picture. In his opening remarks, Spencer declares, One of the people in that plan, one of the conspirators is among us still, right here in this courtroom today. That man is the defendant, Zacarias Moussaoui (Opening Statement, 22). The governments case rested to a large degree on the fact that Moussaoui had lied to Federal agents in August 2001. But were the lies responsible for 9/11 Did Moussaoui have detailed or even cursory information of the imminent attack Spencer contends that he did when he states in the opening statement, And with that lie, his differentiate, he caused the deaths of nearly 3,000 people, the destruction of the Trade Towers in New York, part of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and four commercial aircraft (Opening Statement, 24). The FBIs assertion and Spencers opening remarks are refuted by the written testimony given by sheik Kahlid Mohammed. Sheikh Mohammed contends that, ... Missaoui did not know Atta and there was never any contact between the two of them (Substitution, 3). Missaoui may have had intentions of carrying out a future at tack, but evidence does not show that he had any involvement in 9/11. Mohammed further explains Missaouis role and claims that he was to participate in a here and now wave of attacks that had not yet been planned and had not even been formulated to the point of deciding the type of attack (Substitution, 39). Though Mohammmed