Government slightly alters indictment against alleged Sept. 11 conspirator

The Associated Press | 6/20/02 10:52 AM

[freeperfromnj]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States obtained a slightly altered indictment against accused Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, updating information on financial transactions that the government contends helped fund the terrorist attacks.

An allegation in the original indictment that Moussaoui and alleged hijacker leader Mohammed Atta looked into how to use planes for crop-dusting also was removed.

The new indictment, issued Wednesday, adds that suspected hijacker Fayez Ahmed used a credit card in Florida to obtain $4,900 from an account that Moussaoui has been linked to, according to the government.

The new indictment also adds Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to the list of countries where al-Qaida operates, and adds the training camp al-Farooq in Afghanistan as a place where terrorists were trained.

[freeperfromnj]

An allegation in the original indictment that Moussaoui and alleged hijacker leader Mohammed Atta looked into how to use planes for crop-dusting also was removed.

Slightly alters?

[Shermy]

Dropped the cropdusters? With all the proof? Scare control?

[Mitchell]

What was the evidence that Moussaoui had looked at cropdusters with Atta? I know that there's evidence that Atta looked at cropdusters, and there are apparently references to cropdusters on Moussaoui's computer, but what is the evidence that Moussaoui accompanied Atta to look at cropdusters (which seems to be what the original indictment charged)? Maybe this was dropped for lack of evidence?

[freeperfromnj]

Scare control?

Possibly. There were so many reports on information they obtained from Moussoui's computer about crop dusters. They even issued warnings to be on the alert for crop dusters several months ago and now they are quietly removing the allegation. I just don't understand this move at all.

[newcats]

Dropped the cropdusters? With all the proof?

With all what proof? I haven't seen any...noone has seen any. Perhaps that is why?

[Dan(9698)]

"...noone "

Misspell -- should be noony.

[Shermy]

All the reports of Atta and others seeking crop-dusters. Same for Massawoowee - he had crop duster information in his computer or pamphlets, along with local wind pattern information.

The gubmint knew enough to insert it in the first place, why drop it now? That would drop it from the trial, and necessarily, the govt. would have to explain how they think the terrs would use the planes. Wouldn't be too good for the small aircraft industry and other interests.

IMHO.

[newcats]

The gubmint knew enough to insert it in the first place, why drop it now?

Reports and facts are two completley different things...How about ...the same reason that the police in Utah now say that the sister didn't talk to the kidnapper. They were wrong, and are not willing to admit it.

[freeperfromnj]

They went as far as to ground all crop dusters in the country for a couple of days. They must have had something to go on. It has been established that Atta visited crop dusters at an airfield in Florida several times, right up until the weekend before 9/11 asking questions about the capabilities of crop-dusters, including how big a load of chemicals they could carry. In addition to the info Moussoui downloaded on his computer, they found a crop dusting manual. Moussoui and Atta attended the same flight school in Oklahoma. It seems they're damned if they connect the dots and they're damned if they don't.

[Shermy]

Ping.

[Shermy]

From way back before I knew you guys here at FR.