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People v. Islam

Apparently Zacharias Moussaoui is smarter than previously thought. It is true that he dismissed his own lawyers and sought to represent himself. However, a notable Muslim attorney, with a history of representing journalists, one Charles Freeman, would like to become Moussaoui's counsel, and in doing so, change the complexion of this trial. After all, had the French citizen faced the federal courts alone, it would have been easy in Alexandria, Virginia (one town over from the Pentagon's home in Arlington) to take an Islamic malcontent like Moussaoui and peg him to a laundry list of charges. But instead of that, and instead of Moussaoui using court appointed attorneys who probably do not relish him criticizing them as tools of the oppressor, we will see, should Charles Freeman be allowed, a return to a very, very racially charged trial on the tune of People v. Simpson. Yes that is right, imagine if you will, a redux of Johnnie Cochran and O.J. Simpson pandering to the jury and the millions of television viewers at home. Now imagine that both men are Black Muslims. This means that even though at one time Moussaoui looked like a lock at being convicted and possibility sent to death, it now means anything can happen, and probably will.

The saving grace may be that since federal courts rarely if ever allow televised proceedings, that America will be spared a return to O.J. mania. Even so, the Black Muslim community in America holds the key to Al-Qaeda and other Islamic groups being able to avoid a kangaroo court. The US was fearful of this all the way back to not allow military detainees the right to stay in America after being captured in Afghanistan. The reality is that while suicide attacks provide no perpertrator to try, failed attacks and non-suicidal ones are used by the government to assure that justice will be served. From Ramzi Yousef in 1993 to Timothy McVeigh, to even Moussaoui himself, the US wants to prove that terrorists face life imprisionment or the death penalty should they conspire against the country. So far, none of the high profile targets since the Cold War, like Yousef, McVeigh or for example, Shiekh Abdul Rahman, have escaped. But we must not forget that O.J. Simpson in the eyes of many did, because he made the trial about culture, and not intent.

Also, it is important to realize that several black radicals either found themselves in jail or otherwise indisposed throughout the 1960s and 70s. Some, such as Huey Newton, found exile in Cuba. Others like Mumia Abu-Jamal remain in the ouibilette of the state despite a massive following protesting his innocence. The black community in America still rallies around the nostalgic images of the Black Panthers and other "terrorist" organizations of its day. However, since Moussaoui is inminical to America in total, it is unlikely that all of Black America will enjoin him. Instead, if he becomes adopted by the face of American Muslims, be prepared for the trial to be a major statment on race and religion, and less about his actions in the past.


posted by Thomas at 4:26 PM 0 comments