The only person charged in the US in relation to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people is planning to plead guilty, according to latest reports.
A French citizen of Moroccan descent, Zacarias Moussaoui plans to plead guilty and admit to a role in the attacks, if a federal judge finds him mentally competent, sources close to the case said last night.
Moussaoui is charged with conspiring with al Qaeda in the attacks.
US District Judge Leonie Brinkema is due to meet with Moussaoui today to decide his competence, one source said.
The sources confirmed a story in The Washington Post that Moussaoui, 36, had written a letter to the government and Brinkema that he planned to plead guilty over the objections of his lawyers.
They did not say if Moussaoui might plead guilty to all or just some of the charges. But they said that Moussaoui knew he could face a possible death sentence if he pleads guilty, and that there was no plea deal with the government.
If Brinkema deems him competent and accepts the plea, she would then schedule a trial to determine his sentence.
Moussaoui's court-appointed lawyers and Justice Department officials would not comment on a possible guilty plea. Documents have been filed in the case over the past few weeks, but they are under seal and cannot be viewed by the public.
He was arrested on August 16, 2001, on immigration charges after he raised suspicions at a flight school in Minnesota. The 9/11 Commission that investigated the hijacked airliner attacks said Moussaoui was being primed to take part as a pilot.
Moussaoui was indicted on six charges related to the attacks. Four counts, which all carry the death penalty, are conspiracy charges: conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, to commit aircraft piracy, to destroy aircraft and to use weapons of mass destruction.
He also faces two other charges: conspiracy to murder US employees and conspiracy to destroy property.
Moussaoui tried to plead guilty in 2002 to the four death penalty charges, saying he was a member of al Qaeda and had pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden.
After Brinkema instructed him to think about his decision for a week, Moussaoui changed his mind about pleading guilty.
He said he would admit to being involved in a conspiracy but denied being involved in the September 11 attacks.
Early in the case, Brinkema found Moussaoui mentally competent to represent himself. She later ruled that he could no longer represent himself after he repeatedly filed motions with hostile language.
Moussaoui's trial has been repeatedly delayed for appeals over his access to al Qaeda detainees he says can prove that he was not involved in the attacks.