[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 23, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E9]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CLOSED-CIRCUIT TV COURT PROCEEDINGS FOR VICTIMS OF THE TERRORIST 
                         ATTACKS OF SEPT. 11TH

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 23, 2002

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, The attacks of September 11th 
wounded our national psyche, but the most profound wounds were surely 
felt by the thousands of families who lost loved ones. Allowing the 
victims' family members to view the trial of Zacarias Mouusaoui--the 
sole suspect indicted thus far in connection with the cowardly 
attacks--is the right and compassionate thing to do.
  Unfortunately, the Federal Judicial Conference, which has authority 
over the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia where 
the trial will occur, does not permit court proceedings to be 
televised. This legislation would require the closed-circuit broadcast 
of the proceedings to ``convenient locations'' around the nation. It is 
modeled after Section 235 of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death 
Penalty Act of 1996, (P.L. 104-132), which was enacted after the 
Oklahoma City bombing trial was moved to Denver. In that case, an 
exception was made, with Congress requiring the court to broadcast the 
proceedings via closed-circuit television back to victims' family 
members in Oklahoma. P.L. 104-132 is triggered only when the trial has 
been moved more than 350 miles from the state where the case was 
originally brought.
  This legislation mirrors legislation already passed in the Senate (S. 
1858) that would allow those whom the court determines to have a 
``compelling interest'' to witness the trial--but are unable to attend 
because of expense, inconvenience, or courtroom space limitations--to 
do so via closed-circuit transmission. The transmission locations 
include but are not limited to Northern Virginia; Los Angeles and San 
Francisco, California; New York City; Boston; and Newark, New Jersey--
the sites of the attacks, as well as the places where the aircraft 
involve departed or were intended to arrive. The court retains the 
discretion to designate additional sites.
  Until S. 1858 bill and the House companion bill become law, Congress 
would have to affirmatively act to permit televised proceedings of 
Zacarias Moussaoui's trial.
  Like the earlier law (P.L. 104-132), the court determines who has a 
compelling interest to view the trial, but are otherwise unable to do 
so by reason of inconvenience and expense. The courtroom in Alexandria 
may fit only about 80 spectators. Officials estimate that there are 
10,000 to 15,000 victims and families of the crimes for which Moussaoui 
is charged.
  Who is Zacarias Moussaoui: Attorney General Ashcroft has said the 
French citizen Zacarias Moussaoui, 33, was an ``active participant'' in 
the plot by the al-Qaeda terrorist network to crash jetliners into the 
World Trade Center and the Pentagon, but was thwarted when he was 
detained on immigration charges in August, 2001. Moussaoui, of Moroccan 
descent, allegedly received $14,000 from an al-Qaeda operative, and 
engaged in a pattern of behavior that mirrored the activities of the 19 
suicide hijackers. He is charged with six counts of conspiracy, 
including four that carry the death penalty.
  The indictment of Moussaoui reads, in part: ``Zacarias Moussaoui . . 
. with other members and associates of al-Qaeda and others known and 
unknown to the Grand Jury, unlawfully, willfully and knowingly 
combined, conspired, confederated and agreed to kill and maim persons 
within the United States, and to create a substantial risk of serious 
bodily injury to other persons by destroying and damaging structures, 
conveyances and other real and personal property within the United 
States.''
  Moussaoui has already been arraigned. His trial is set for October, 
2002.

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