Moussaoui Lawyers Seek Delay in Trial

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Lawyers for terrorism defendant Zacarias Moussaoui asked Monday for further delays in bringing the case to trial while they appeal pretrial issues to the Supreme Court.

The lawyers, in a written motion, said they have until Jan. 11, 2005, to file their appeal for Moussaoui -- the only U.S. defendant charged with a terrorism conspiracy that included the Sept. 11 attacks. The indictment will be three years old in December.

The written request said it would be a waste of the judiciary's resources -- during a time of tight budgets -- to proceed with trial preparations until the Supreme Court decided whether to consider the appeal. Moussaoui is represented by public defenders paid by the taxpayers.

The lawyers have been trying to gain direct access to three al-Qaida prisoners who might aid Moussaoui's defense and to bar the government from seeking the death penalty.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-moussaoui,0,5857400.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines