Justice For Moussaoui - Let The French Decide?

CQ mentioned this from a Fench article someone sent in. It appears Aljazeera is running it, or something like it in English.

The French authorities say they may consider pressing the United States to have Zacarias Moussaoui serve his life sentence in France.

France and the United States are linked by two conventions on transferring convicts.

"An eventual request for transferring Mr Zacarias Moussaoui would be studied in this framework," the French foreign ministry spokesman said.

But he said no decision on transferring Moussaoui would be made until US authorities define the conditions of his sentence.

The justice minister, Pascal Clement, echoed that. "In France we have conditions that are specific, and we must know if they are compatible" he said on public television.

h/t About original image

Comments

[Brad]

Since Moussaoui escaped a death sentence, turning him over to France to serve out his lifelong sentence would save us the cost of confinement. Plus I've heard that the French prisons are hellish, that would serve him right.

[jh]

Anyone who was against his getting a life sentence for being a wannabe terrorist who knew nothing about the plots should be thrilled at this. He can rot in French prison, on THEIR dime. All the excuses about "It'll cost $100,000 a year to house this creep instead of the $4.50 to kill him" are gone. (Even though studies have shown that it costs more to house death row inmates than lifers in the long run when you factor in appeals, court time, etc.)

Now it'll cost zip to house him :)

[Katablog.com]

Love the image, sums it up.

[Sobek]

If we actually believe the French will keep him in prison, then sending him to France is the best possible outcome.

But there's a good chance they would just let him go after ten years.

[annie]

If the French meaning of 'a life sentence' is the same as here in UK, it will mean he will most likely be out and about again in less than ten years!!!

Keep him there in US, don't trust the French!!

[rwilymz]

"don't trust the French!!"

...as far as I can throw Versailles.

I'll bet they're kicking themselves right now for not filling the Statue of Liberty with Foreign Legionaires when they sent it to us.

BTW, I've never thanked the British for coining the term 'frog' for them. That was kind of you.

"A woman drove me to drink and I never had the courtesy to thank her." - W.C.Fields

[annie]

Talking about the Statue of Liberty rwilymz

Did you know that it represents the Babylonian goddess Ishtar who was the goddess of freedom and liberty and

Ishtar was also known as the Mother of Harlots!!

Nice gift, eh!!

You could always send it back!

[Francis W. Porretto]

France has no jurisdiction in this matter. The crime for which Moussaoui was convicted was committed on American soil. Whether we transfer him to them or confine his wormy carcass here in the U.S. is at our discretion.

The central question, even if we assume that France sincerely intends to keep the scoundrel locked up to the end of his days, is why they'd want him.

I can see very few possibilities. France's restive Muslim population is a perennial source of trouble; perhaps they envision Moussaoui as some sort of bargaining chip by whose release they could mollify the Muslims at a future date. Alternately, France has made it plain that its international posture is as a counterweight to the United States, so this might be simply a gesture in assertion of that stance. Finally, there's the possibility that either Saudi Arabia or Iran has brokered a quiet deal with France over Moussaoui. Such things are not beneath the Saudis or the Iranians; at any rate, it wouldn't be the first time.

Things surely would have been simpler if he'd gotten the death penalty. "You want him? Sure...when we've finished with him."

[annie]

He may been right then (indirectly), when he says he believes that President Bush will release him!!