A 9/11 terrorist’s plea to a Virginia judge that he be sent home to France from a federal Supermax prison to avoid the prospect of Donald Trump ordering his execution led to outrage from lawmakers on Monday.
A letter from Zacarias Moussaoui to federal Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria lays out the so-called “20th hijacker’s” concerns that a future Trump administration will lead to his swift demise.
In his letter sent from ADX Florence in Colorado, Moussaoui argued he previously pledged his “collaboration” with U.S. authorities against al Qaeda operatives like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and asked Brinkema to order the transfer.
“Instead, your honor might concur that there is a possibility of, not a probability, that if the ex-U.S. President Donald Trump was to be reelected, he will sentence me to death by presidential executive order,” the terrorist wrote.
In his lengthy, handwritten letter laying out his argument, he made references to presidential power as well as the Trump Justice Department’s decision to drop charges against Gen. Michael Flynn, now retired, after a guilty plea for lying to federal agents.
Critics argue that France’s strong opposition to the death penalty presented a significant obstacle for the U.S. when seeking the extradition of Earth Day co-founder Ira Einhorn from France to Philadelphia in 2001 to stand trial for the murder of his girlfriend.
Moussaoui’s letter depicted a marked change in his previous demeanor, as his 2006 trial was rife with insults and courtroom outbursts, including his refusal to stand and a retort after learning he escaped the death penalty: “You’ll never get my blood: God curse you all.”
In court, he also claimed – then recanted – that he was supposed to have hijacked a fifth plane and flown it into the White House.
In the letter, the terrorist further wrote he believes there is still time before Inauguration Day 2025 for a transfer to be worked out with French authorities: “May your honor and your court enter an order as soon as your court finds appropriate and grant me my different request petition.”
The Eastern District of Virginia clerk’s office confirmed to Fox News Digital that Brinkema’s chambers had received such a letter. A copy was first published on the Legal Insurrection website.
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In response, a dozen U.S. senators wrote to both President Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging them to ignore the plea.
“It has come to our attention that Zacarias Moussaoui – the only person to be convicted in a U.S. court for his role in the devastating terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 – has submitted a request to the U.S. Department of Justice to be transferred to his home country of France to serve the remainder of his life sentence,” the letter reads.
“No consideration whatsoever should be given to this convicted terrorist’s preferences for where to serve his sentence for his heinous crimes, and we demand that you swiftly deny his transfer request and force him to spend the remainder of his pathetic life imprisoned in the country he and his fellow terrorists attacked 23 years ago,” continues the letter, which was spearheaded by Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, R-Fla.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., who also signed the letter, added that Moussaoui and his co-conspirators “committed a heinous crime against our nation, inflicting damage and grief upon the victims and their families that can never be repaired.”
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“The Biden administration must deny this request and ensure he continues to face justice in the U.S.,” Hoeven said.
Another signatory, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said any terrorist who played a role in 9/11 should never leave a U.S. prison.
“Under no circumstances should Zacarias Moussaoui be allowed to serve his sentence in France,” Blackburn said.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, echoed that sentiment, saying Biden and the Justice Department should “unequivocally deny this request. Moussaoui committed heinous acts against the United States on September 11 and he should remain imprisoned in the country he attacked.”
Other signatories included Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Mike Braun, R-Ind., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Idaho Republicans James Risch and Mike Crapo.
Moussaoui was originally arrested in August 2001 after suspicions about his attempt to take flight training classes. He also allegedly received $14,000 in a wire transfer from fellow 9/11 co-conspirator Ramzi bin Alshibh, who never made it to the U.S. because his visa application was denied.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department said it is a matter of policy not to discuss prisoner transfer requests or whether they are pending.
However, the spokesperson added that Moussaoui is serving a life sentence for “terrorism offenses” and the DOJ plans to “enforce this life sentence in U.S. custody.”
The White House did not respond to a separate request for comment.
