The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by accused September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, who has argued he could not get a fair trial without access to al Qaeda captives who could help his defence.
The justices let stand a federal appeals court ruling that allowed US prosecutors to seek the death penalty and said Moussaoui's lawyers could not directly question the al Qaeda captives, who could provide testimony favourable to his defence.
Instead of direct access, the appeals court ruled the defence must rely on US government-prepared summaries of the interrogation statements from the al Qaeda captives.
Without comment or any recorded dissent, the Supreme Court refused to consider Moussaoui's constitutional challenge to the ruling. The action cleared the way for the case to proceed before a federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia.
Moussaoui is the only person charged in the United States in connection with the September 11 thattacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. No trial date has been set.
A French citizen of Moroccan descent, Moussaoui was arrested on immigration charges before the attacks. He has said he was not involved in the hijackings, but is an admitted al Qaeda member who has pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden.