Sniper suspect declares innocence

Mr Muhammad could face the death penalty if convicted

John Allen Muhammad, 42, one of the two men accused of last year's sniper killings in the Washington area, has declared that he had nothing to do with the murders.

"If we monitor step by step, it will all show I had nothing to do with these crimes," Mr Muhammad said as he made his opening statement at the start of his first trial for murder.

The trial for the killing of 53-year-old Dean Meyers at a petrol station in Manassas, Virginia, began with a surprise, as Mr Muhammad was granted permission to act as his own attorney.

His alleged accomplice, 18-year-old Lee Malvo, is expected to appear in court on Monday although prosecutors would not say why he was summoned.

Nature of truth

The trial is taking place in Virginia Beach, 200 miles (325 kilometres) from the scene of the Manassas shooting, because it was deemed impossible to find an unbiased jury in the Washington area.

Analysts believe federal prosecutors chose Virginia for the first trial because it has the death penalty.

The gun allegedly used in the attacks was shown to the jury

Ten people died in the Washington sniper attacks in October 2002, which terrorised the nation's capital region.

Mr Muhammad has pleaded not guilty to the four charges he faces over Meyers' death - which include two counts of capital murder, one charge of conspiracy and a weapons charge.

In his opening arguments before the 12-member jury, Mr Muhammad launched into a lengthy debate about the nature of truth:

"There's three truths. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I always thought there was just one truth," he said. "Jesus said, 'Ye shall know the truth.'"

"The facts should help us identify what's a lie, what's not a lie," he added.

British arms expert

Mr Muhammad spoke of his love for his children and asked the jury to pay close attention because "my life and my son's life is on the line" - apparently a reference to fellow suspect Mr Malvo.

Malvo was 17 when he was arrested Trial reopens wounds

He said he hopes to be found innocent "by the grace of Allah".

Mr Muhammad is a Gulf War veteran, whom the US Defence Department described as an "expert" marksman who had won awards for his rifle skills.

The first witness in the case was Mark Spicer, a sergeant major in the British army with extensive expertise as a sniper.

He testified that the sniper's "main weapon is his ability to spread terror over a much larger force than himself" and that snipers habitually work in teams of two - as Mr Muhammad and Mr Malvo are accused of doing.

Prosecutor James Willett began his opening statement by showing the jury a .223 Bushmaster rifle - the same semi-automatic weapon found in the car in which Mr Muhammad and Mr Malvo were arrested on 24 October last year.

"It is a weapon that is best fired from the prone position," Reuters quoted him as saying.

"If you are on the ground or on a surface, say, the trunk of a car, this weapon becomes extremely safe and extremely accurate."

Brainwashing claim

He went on to show jurors photographs of the vehicle in which the pair were apprehended, a blue Chevrolet Caprice which had allegedly been modified to allow a gunman to lie in the boot of the car, with the muzzle of the weapon protruding out the back.

"The Caprice allowed them with impunity to travel where they wanted, park where they wanted and kill who they wanted," Mr Willett said.

Mr Malvo is to be tried next month on separate murder charges.

Mr Muhammad's lawyers have argued Mr Malvo did the actual shooting.

But Mr Malvo's lawyers contend that their young client was brainwashed by Mr Muhammad and say they will plead insanity.

At a pre-trial hearing for Mr Muhammad last week - when both suspects appeared in the same room for the first time since their arrest - Mr Malvo did not even acknowledge knowing the older man.

Mr Malvo refused to testify - instead choosing to invoke the Fifth Amendment which protects his right against self-incrimination.