Zacarias Moussaoui, who was sentenced last week to life in prison, on Monday filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea and said he lied when he testified that he was meant to be part of the September 11 hijacking plot. Moussaoui, 37, said in an affidavit filed with the motion that he had pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy in connection with the attacks against the advice of his court-appointed lawyers because his understanding of the U.S. legal system was "completely flawed." Moussaoui's court-appointed lawyers -- who rarely speak to their client -- said in a footnote that they were aware of a federal rule that prohibits a defendant from withdrawing a guilty plea after a sentence is imposed. But they said they filed the motion anyway "given their problematic relationship with Moussaoui." link Convicted Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui says he lied on the witness stand about being involved in the plot and wants to withdraw his guilty plea because he now believes he can get a fair trial. In a motion filed Friday but released Monday, Moussaoui said he testified March 27 he was supposed to hijack a fifth plane on Sept. 11, 2001, and fly it into the White House "even though I knew that was a complete fabrication." A federal court jury spared the 37-year-old Frenchman the death penalty last Wednesday. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema gave him six life sentences, to run as two consecutive life terms, in the federal supermax prison at Florence, Colo. At sentencing, she told Moussaoui: "You do not have a right to appeal your convictions, as was explained to you when you plead guilty" in April 2005. "You waived that right." She said he could appeal his sentence but added, "I believe it would be an act of futility." Moussaoui's court-appointed lawyers told the court they filed the motion even though a federal rule "prohibits a defendant from withdrawing a guilty plea after imposition of sentence." They did so anyway because of their "problematic relationship with Moussaoui" and the fact that new lawyers have yet to be appointed to replace them. link
