Maddening freedom

Painful, frustrating experiences lie ahead in the trials of alleged terrorists.

The difficulty the United States will have in dealing legally with suspected terrorists is emphasized by the case of Zacarias Moussaoui. He has been transferred to Virginia for trial as the alleged 20th hijacker from the 9-11 attacks.

In a recent hearing, he raised his hand for permission to speak. He quickly uncorked a tirade against the United States, Israel, the court, the prosecution and his own attorneys. He accused his lawyers of pursuing “greed, fame and vanity” and insisted they are actively assisting the government in his execution. The judge he termed “a field general” in charge of what Moussaoui described as a “sophisticated version of the kiss of death.”

The defendant declared that he is “a slave of Allah” and that he prays continually for “the destruction of the United States of America” and “for the destruction of the Jewish people and state.” He demanded to get rid of his current lawyers and be represented either by a Muslim attorney or by himself.

If Moussaoui has injected such circus aspects into the proceedings already, imagine how he will disrupt the trial as it progresses. What judge is looking forward to that?

The alleged hijacker knows that evidence against him is mostly circumstantial and will trade heavily on spin control, whether done by a lawyer or by himself. He clearly is well-schooled in troubling tactics and has nothing to do but continue and expand his outbursts. We can be sure he will be eager to seek live camera coverage of his trial to show “the boys back home” how loyally he is performing for The Cause.

Judges can order Moussaoui from the courtroom as a defendant, but what if he is his own attorney? How can that be handled? When can a judge say “enough” and nail him for his behavior?

Those familiar with the case are warning everyone to be ready for “the ravings of a zealot.” It is difficult to believe anything in the way of justice can result from such a scene.

And remember that this is just one of the people we might see going to trial in the battle against terrorism and its practitioners. If Moussaoui is as successful in creating smokescreens and obstructing proceedings, imagine how others suspected of terrorism, like those being held in Cuba, will react and perform if they are brought to trial.

All the while, of course, Americans are sickened by the fact that somebody who is openly a deadly enemy with intent to kill can trade on our system of freedom and fair hearing to further his own ends. Imagine an American in the average “Muslim” or “Islamic” court being able to operate that way.

We can be sure we will be bombarded by further rantings of this self-ennobled “slave of Allah” and that we will have to keep choking down the maddening aspects that our system of freedom and the attempt to establish justice can create.