Moussaoui Says He Was to Hijack 5th 9/11 Plane

Prosecutors received a huge gift today in the sentencing phase of would-be terrorist and mass murderer Zacarias Moussaoui — the defendant’s own testimony.

Laying out a stunning new version of his terrorist mission, al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui testified Monday that he was supposed to hijack a fifth jetliner on Sept. 11, 2001, with would-be shoe bomber Richard Reid and fly it into the White House.

Testifying against the advice of his court-appointed lawyers, Moussaoui shocked the courtroom. Jurors who will decide whether he is executed or imprisoned for life were almost motionless during his nearly three hours on the stand. They didn’t look down to take notes; all eyes locked on the bearded 37-year-old Frenchman of Moroccan descent – the only person charged in this country in connection with 9/11.

His testimony started in familiar territory. He denied that he was supposed to be the so-called missing 20th hijacker of Sept. 11. He testified he was not intended to be a fifth terrorist on United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed into a Pennsylvania field – the only plane hijacked by four instead of five terrorists.

Then came the shock.

Defense attorney Gerald Zerkin: “Before your arrest, were you scheduled to pilot a plane as part of the 9/11 operation?”

Moussaoui: “Yes. I was supposed to pilot a plane to hit the White House.”

He said he didn’t know details of the other hijackings set for that day except that planes were to be flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

I’m not necessarily sold on the truthfulness of Moussaoui’s new claims; instead, I suspect he has resigned himself to the futility of his position and, through self-aggrandizement, is hoping to at least achieve a degree of martyrdom. Indeed, it seems his testimony today may lock up the death penalty.

Prosecutor [Rob] Spencer asked: “You knew on Aug. 16 that other al-Qaida members were in the United States?”

“That’s correct,” Moussaoui replied.

Spencer: “You knew there was a pending plot?”

“That’s correct.”

Spencer: “You lied because you wanted to conceal that you were a member of al-Qaida?”

“That’s correct.”

“You lied so the plan could go forward?”

“That’s correct.”

To get a death penalty, the government must show that an action of Moussaoui’s led directly to at least one of the nearly 3,000 deaths on 9/11. Prosecutors have said the act was his lying to the FBI after his Aug. 16, 2001, arrest, lies that they contend prevented the FBI and Federal Aviation Administration from detecting the plot and saving at least one life.

The man wants to die a death to be celebrated by our enemies. Cool, let’s light this candle.