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Moussaoui trial put off 2 months

Moussaoui

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (CNN) -- A federal judge Friday postponed the trial of accused September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui for more than two months, giving standby lawyers more time to prepare his defense.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema postponed the trial's opening statements from October 15 to January 6. Moussaoui and defense lawyers assisting him had requested the delay in order to have more time to review the large quantity of evidence in the case.

"Although the public's right to a speedy trial is a legitimate concern, this court's paramount concern is ensuring that the defense receive a fair trial," Brinkema wrote. "The volume and complexity of the evidence in this prosecution fully support the defense request for a brief continuance of the trial date."

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Moussaoui, 34, has been acting as his own lawyer since mid-June. But Brinkema assigned five attorneys to remain on standby to assist Moussaoui on legal questions, and if necessary, to cross-examine witnesses or take over the defense.

Those lawyers had asked for at least a 60-day delay, hoping to start jury selection on November 30 instead of September 30.

"This will give us time to investigate the case and prepare us for trial," Moussaoui attorney Edward MacMahon said.

The evidence includes more than a thousand CD-ROMs of documents and photographs, more than 200 computer hard drives, more than a 1,000 audio cassettes and more than 500 videotapes.

Prosecutors had opposed any delay, saying Moussaoui and the lawyers had adequate time to review the evidence against him.

"Our prosecutors were ready to start picking a jury on September 30th and proceed with the trial," said Barbara Comstock, the Justice Department director of public affairs. "However, the judge has decided to give Moussaoui more time to prepare. We will continue our preparation and look forward to the opportunity to present our case in court."

Moussaoui, a French citizen, admits belonging to al Qaeda, the terrorist group behind the September 11 attacks; swearing allegiance to its leader, Osama bin Laden; and participating in some unspecified conspiracy against Americans. But he denies playing a role in the September 11 attacks.

If convicted of the more serious of the six conspiracy charges against him, he could face the death penalty.

Moussaoui enrolled in Oklahoma and Minnesota flight schools after his arrival in the United States last year, taking pilot lessons like some of the hijackers. Prosecutors say he also underwent paramilitary training in al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan in 1998 and received money wired from the hijacking cell in Hamburg, Germany, last August.

Under the new trial schedule, potential jurors will be summoned to the courthouse to fill out questionnaires on November 18. The court will complete its review of questionnaires by December 6; lawyers will begin questioning a pool of 90 qualified jurors will begin on December 9, and the trial's opening statements will begin on January 6.

-- CNN Correspondent Deborah Feyerick and Producer Phil Hirschkorn contributed to this report.