Report: Imprisoned 9/11 Terrorist Requests Transfer to France, Fearing Donald Trump’s Return

Imprisoned 9/11 terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui has reportedly requested a transfer to French custody because he fears he will be executed if former President Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential election.

Moussaoui’s request was reported on Tuesday by Legal Insurrection (LI), which noted the story received absolutely no mainstream media coverage. LI found out about the request from a relative of a 9/11 victim who fears French officials might be tempted to release Moussaoui if they gain custody of him.

LI confirmed the authenticity of Moussaoui’s request, which was submitted to the court in a handwritten letter in May. LI writer James Nault, who has experience as a clerk for the U.S. District Court system, explained that such handwritten messages are not unusual because inmates like Moussaoui are rarely given access to computers.

The subject of Moussaoui’s letter was “Death Sentence By Executive Presidential Order.” The message included numerous spelling errors and awkward phrases, but the gist of Moussaoui’s argument was that he received a sentence of life without parole, but “there is a possibility, if not a probability,” that Trump would order his execution if he returns to the White House.

Moussaoui did not offer any particular evidence that Trump would have him executed or explain why Trump did not give such an order during his first term as president. His primary argument was that Trump selected Gen. Michael Flynn as national security adviser in his first term, and Flynn viewed Moussaoui as a threat to America’s security.

The imprisoned terrorist said he had been advised by legal counsel that the U.S. president can “sentence to death any federal prisoner deemed to be a threat to national security,” and, since Moussaoui was described as such during the court proceedings he described in his letter, he believes Trump could exercise that option.

Moussaoui asked U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who presided over his trial in Virginia, for “transfer to France” before “the potential inauguration of ex-President Trump.”

LI noted that the court docket does not “indicate any action taken by the judge on this request.”

Moussaoui, now 56 years old, is the only person to be convicted in U.S. court in connection to the 9/11 attacks. He was arrested in 2001 before the attacks occurred because his efforts to obtain advanced flight training attracted suspicion.

Moussaoui pleaded guilty to terrorism charges, so his trial in 2006 was held to determine whether his sentence would be life in prison or death. The trial was controversial because some felt strongly that he should have been tried in a military court, while others insisted civilian courts could handle the job.

Moussaoui ended up getting a civilian trial, and, while the jury deemed him eligible for execution, one of the jurors voted for life in prison, keeping him off death row. Prosecutors argued he was training as a backup pilot for one of the 9/11 hijackers or possibly to conduct follow-on attacks. The defense argued Moussaoui exaggerated his importance to al-Qaeda and that executing him would have given him the martyrdom he desired.