Mounir Motassadeq's trial, a 28-year-old Moroccan who...

Mounir Motassadeq's trial, a 28-year-old Moroccan who has acknowledged knowing the hijackers, detained in Hamburg, could test the extent of U.S. cooperation in a foreign prosecution. Motassadeq's attorneys said in an interview that they want the court to call as a witness Ramzi Binalshibh, an alleged Hamburg cell member who was arrested in Pakistan last month and is being held by U.S. authorities at a secret location.
The defense hopes that Binalshibh will support the contention that Motassadeq assisted the hijackers out of brotherly courtesy because they were fellow Muslims, but was unaware of their plans. If U.S. officials do not permit his testimony, the attorneys said they will ask the panel of five judges to abandon the trial. Because Binalshibh could face the death penalty after trial by a U.S. military tribunal, Herzog and other sources said, the United States is unlikely to return him to Germany, where he could launch court proceedings to prevent his return to U.S. custody. German law prevents handing over a suspect facing a possible death penalty.