Moussaoui Could Face Death Penalty

A courtroom artist's rendering of Zacarias Moussaoui testifying at his sentencing trial in the Federal Courthouse in the U.S. state of Virginia, March 27, 2006 (epa) April 3, 2006 -- A court in the United States has found that Zacarias Moussaoui is eligible for the death penalty.
A spokesman for the court said the jury found Moussaoui's actions resulted in the death of at least one person and that he is therefore eligible to be executed.


Moussaoui, a French citizen, pleaded guilty last April to conspiring with Al-Qaeda to hijack aircraft to be used in terrorist attacks. He told the court last month that he was to have been part of the September 11, 2001, attacks and that he was to fly a plane into the White House on that day.


He was arrested shortly before the September 11 attacks on immigration charges.


The jury must now decide if he deserves the death penalty or life in prison.


(compiled from agency reports)