New court blow for 9/11 suspect

Mr Moussaoui denies involvement in the 9/11 plot

A United States federal judge has revoked the right of a man charged over the 11 September attacks to represent himself in court.

Judge Leonie Brinkema said Frenchman Zacarias Moussaoui had filed motions using "contemptuous language" which could not be tolerated from a lawyer.

Mr Moussaoui will now be represented by court-appointed attorneys.

Mr Moussaoui admits being a member of al-Qaeda but denies being part of the plot to hijack planes.

His trial has been delayed while the US Government appeals against a decision by the judge to bar it from seeking the death penalty and linking the suspect to the attacks on New York and Washington.

The judge's ruling came in response to the government's refusal to allow Mr Moussaoui access to three other al-Qaeda suspects.

Mr Moussaoui, the only person in the US to be charged in connection with the attacks, has been indicted on four counts of conspiracy to commit terrorism.

Warning

His request to fire his lawyers and represent himself was granted by the judge in June 2002.

But Mr Moussaoui repeatedly filed handwritten motions, some of which insulted the judge and prosecutors.

Judge Brinkema warned him in a court order on 6 November that he would lose the right to defend himself if he continued to file "further frivolous, scandalous, disrespectful or repetitive pleadings".

Mr Moussaoui now has 10 days to appeal against the judge's decision.