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U.S. seeks death sentence for Moussaoui

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 7 (UPI) -- U.S. prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Zacarias Moussaoui, who pleaded guilty to terrorism conspiracy leading up to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

At Moussaoui's trial in Alexandria, Va., Robert Spencer, an assistant U.S. attorney, told the jury that Moussaoui was "in the thick of the plot" but that because he had been arrested, his contribution to the attacks "in the end was to lie so his al-Qaida brothers could go forward."

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Defense attorney Edward MacMahon said there was no evidence that Moussaoui knew about or participated in the terrorist attacks, or had any contact with the 19 hijackers, CNN said.

Moussaoui, 37, made another request Monday to be allowed to represent himself, but U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema denied it. During a break, Moussaoui told one of his defense attorneys: "Just so you know, you're not my lawyer. Thanks a lot."

Moussaoui pleaded guilty last April to six terrorism conspiracy charges. He faces the possibility of death by lethal injection or a life-in-prison sentence.

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