Defence calls for 11 September acquittal

Motassadek denies prior knowledge of the attacks

Defence lawyers for the first man to stand trial over the 11 September attacks have called for him to be acquitted.

We have neither membership nor support of a terrorist organisation, and still less proof that he was an accessory

Hartmut Jacobi
Defence lawyer

Hartmut Jacobi said the prosecution had not proved that his client, Moroccan-born Mounir al-Motassadek, was a member of a terrorist organisation, or an accessory to the murder of more than 3,000 people.

Last week, prosecutors called for a maximum 15-year jail sentence for Mr Motassadek.

Mr Motassadek, who went on trial in October in the German city of Hamburg, has denied any prior knowledge of the attacks and says he rejects violence.

A verdict is expected later this month.

'Interpretations'

Prosecutors have described Mr Motassadek as a willing participant in the plot and a willing adherent to the hijackers' ideology.

CHARGES AND MAXIMUM SENTENCES

Accessory to the murder of more than 3,000 11 September victims - 15 years

Belonging to a terrorist organisation - 10 years

Supporting a terrorist group - five years

But Mr Motassadek's lawyers said that evidence used by the prosecution to try to prove this did not stand up.

"We have neither membership nor support of a terrorist organisation, and still less proof that he was an accessory," said Mr Jacobi.

Another defence lawyer, Hans Leistritz, told the court: "What we have here is suspicions, interpretations of behaviour and interpretations of beliefs."

Mr Leistritz sought to prove that, despite Mr Motassadek's close relationship with several of the hijackers, he did not know of their plans to attack America.

'Contradictory' evidence

He said that the fact that the accused had managed the bank account of one of the hijackers, Marwan al-Shehhi, was just a favour between students.

Prosecutors have said the account served as a financing pot for an al-Qaeda cell in Hamburg, and was used to pay for flying lessons in the US.

Mr Motassadek's signing of the will of alleged ringleader Mohammed Atta was also commonplace, Mr Leistritz added.

And he played down the accused's presence at training camps in Afghanistan, saying said thousands of young Arabs had completed similiar training.

He added that evidence by various witnesses suggesting Mr Motassadek had been gradually converted to extremism was contradictory.