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CNN Live At Daybreak

Moussaoui Withdraws Guilty Pleas

Aired July 26, 2002 - 05:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The on again, off again trial of terror suspect Zacarias Moussaoui is on again. He says he's not so sure he's guilty anymore.

CNN's Skip Loescher reports on a surprising reversal in court yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SKIP LOESCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Zacarias Moussaoui headed back to federal court, intent, it appeared then, on doing what he tried and failed to do last week, plead guilty to at least some of the September 11 conspiracy charges on which he's been indicted.

Moussaoui's backup lawyers wanted this session postponed to make sure he's mentally competent. But Judge Brinkema ruled he was competent to enter pleas. But he didn't try to plead guilty to all the charges. Moussaoui saying, "I truthfully will enter on some charges, not all. It should not be misunderstood that I endorse the entire indictment."

Moussaoui went on, "There is enough factual basis for me to plead guilty in a truthful manner."

He did try to enter a guilty plea to conspiring with September 11 hijackers to commit terrorism, destroying aircraft, using weapons of mass destruction. But not to conspiring to murder U.S. nationals and destroy property.

But a short time later, Moussaoui had a change of heart, apparently feeling his guilty pleas would guarantee that he faced the death penalty. Muslim law prohibits suicide. So he concluded I have to withdraw my guilty plea. The judge let him.

EDWARD MACMAHON, JR., MOUSSAOUI STANDBY LAWYER: He said he was a member of al Qaeda, but that he had nothing to do with 9/11. So that's, that has not changed one bit.

FRANK DUNHAM, JR., MOUSSAOUI STANDBY LAWYER: And I don't think he understood that he had to admit 9/11 in order to plead guilty.

LOESCHER: Moussaoui says he wants to tell his story to the American people. His actions Thursday may guarantee that he'll get that chance -- during his trial. That's scheduled to begin in a little over two months.

Skip Loescher, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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