Defense Documents Make No Earthly Sense

Analysis by Aero-News Senior Correspondent Kevin R.C. "Hognose" O'Brien

The court-appointed lawyers trying to defend Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called "20th Hijacker" now in the death-penalty phase of trial, have submitted some of Moussaoui's writings to the court as defense exhibits. While these writings, submitted years ago as court filings, have been little commented on by the mainstream press, they do provide an insight of some kind into Moussaoui.

But good luck making something of that insight -- because Moussaoui's bombastic, adolescent writings seem to make no earthly sense. They're more disturbing than coherent.

One defense document, Defense Exhibit DX ZM-010, contains a tirade against Queen Elizabeth in Moussaoui's own rude hand. The document was originally submitted to the court in November 6, 2003, and was resubmitted last Thursday.

My comments are in brackets [like this], and we've also edited Moussaoui's less-than-flattering name for the Queen in the 'Title' line.

20th HIJACKER
GOD CURSE THE QUEEN
TITLE: "Little B**** of Buckingham
ORIGINAL: United Best Lyric
a/k/ Zacarias Moussaoui
UK RELEASE SOON!

THE GLOBAL SOLUTION
WITCH HUNT
"There is No Truer Enmy [sic] To the Muslim (a/k/ ZM) that [sic] Her Machiavelic of England"

Indeed the HM (a/k Her Macabre) Secret Services Are Second to None in the Fight Against the Islamic Army (a/k/ Al Qeada [sic])

The DJ [Moussaoui's term for Judge Brinkema: "Death Judge"] Must Submitt [sic] Order to force the FBI to Disclose their Affairs with Her Machiavelic MI-5, 6, 7, etc of the United Killer (a/k/ UK)

No Dirty Joke or Witchcraft from the Women [sic] Top Crusader as the Al Queada [sic] bro has Seen Classified Info from the Old Bailey.

[A line of Arabic, then in almost a different hand]:

Relief: All FBI agreement [sic] and Information received from/by Britain [sic] Secret Service or Police in the Eradication of the Islamic Army Al Qaeda.

What to make of this remarkable document? The first thought that comes to mind is that Moussaoui is barking mad, which must be why his earnest lawyers, who are trying to spare him the dog-pound death of an American convict, resubmitted it -- in hopes that someone will point out that Moussaoui is nuts. Of course, in law, just being nuts doesn't necessarily get one off the hook, and Moussaoui's efforts to get himself on to it will probably overcome anything his lawyers can do for him.

Given the widespread revulsion generated by the September 11 attacks, Moussaoui's attempts to guarantee himself "martyrdom" are probably unnecessary.

Another possible explanation for this written outburst is that it is nothing more than a display of contempt for the judge, the court, and the country before which Moussaoui is on trial. Judge Leonie M. Brinkema had issued an order to Moussaoui not to file such documents -- the day before. "We'll give the defendant the benefit of the doubt" that he had not been notified of her order, but two other strange Moussaoui documents were filed without comment (they are attached to her order of Nov. 7.).

Defense exhibit DX ZM-005 is a longer rant with the same combination of poor literacy, bombast, and adolescent wordplay: "DEATH TO UNITED SATAN DEMONCRACY" and "MOUSSAOUI ATTACK ON THE WTC (World Tyran Constitution)". He refers to the "Fascist Bureau of Inquisition" and the "USS Government" -- with the "SS" drawn as Nazi SS runes. He also points out that "Zacarias Moussaoui vs. US" equals "Muslims vs. Kafirs." Kafir is the Muslim term for an infidel or unbeliever; to an Islamist, it is the most profound of insults.

One other former special operator with whom I discussed these documents suggested that there might be some kind of code -- apart from Moussaoui's juvenile name-calling -- in use.

Is "United Best Lyric" actually "Usama Bin Laden"? But that's a far-fetched idea indeed -- to whom could this man be sending code, and about what? He's been in prison for almost five years. What can he reveal, the secret of the menu in jail?

But, somewhat ominously, Judge Brinkema has noted that Moussaoui has abused court filings in "attempts to communicate with persons overseas." (See exhibit DX ZM 008). Communicate what? With whom? She does not specify.

DX ZM-005 ("God Curse the Queen") was originally filed on August 6, 2002. Since Judge Brinkema's orders of November 5 and 7, 2003, any such documents generated by Moussaoui are not filed as part of the case any longer, but are filed separately under seal. These documents will presumably be unsealed at some time, but the judge has wide discretion in the matter.

You can read Moussaoui's rants in full -- those that were filed as part of the case exhibits, at least -- and form your own conclusions (or, as I did, fail to form a final conclusion) by going to the FMI link, which is a website maintained by the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press. All of the trial exhibits are there. Readers are cautioned that some of the photographic exhibits from the 9/11 attacks are graphic and disturbing.

Much like reading the words of Zacarias Moussaoui.

FMI: www.rcfp.org/moussaoui/