Convicted Terrorist Wants To Testify In OKC Federal Court

A convicted al-Qaeda terrorist with Oklahoma ties is looking to return to the state.

Zacarias Moussaoui went through flight training in Norman in 2001. In 2006, Moussaoui testified he took the flight lessons as part of an al-Qaeda conspiracy to kill Americans on 9/11.

He said Osama bin Laden approved him to fly a plane into the White House, but he was arrested before the attacks.

Moussaoui was convicted and is now serving a life sentence at the federal super-max penitentiary in Florence, Colo. From his prison cell, he drafted a four-page handwritten letter last month and mailed it to an Oklahoma City federal judge. In the letter, he explained the al-Qaeda had additional targets -- Presidential targets.

In trying to convince the Oklahoma judge to let him share the details in open court, Moussaoui said he would testify about the plot to shoot down Air Force One and assassinate former President Bill Clinton or his wife, Hillary.

He asked that he be allowed to testify about this in Oklahoma, because it is just a few miles from the flight school where he plotted the "Islamic terroristic activities."

"I try to not ever judge people unless they judge me first," said Brenda Keene, she worked for Norman's Airmen Flight School in 2001.

She said Moussaoui asked a lot of questions during his enrollment.

"He was really concerned with how long it was going to take and what kind of planes he was going to fly," said Keene.

Keene testified against Moussaoui and is still shocked she had an encounter with the terrorist.

"Wo knows if it is true because he is so crazy and delusional," Keene said, after reading Moussaoui's letter.

She was particularly disturbed with his claims that a Saudi Prince paid for the flight school and funneled the money to him while living in Norman.

"It's really unusual but keep in mind this is a guy that has been diagnosed by a psychiatrist as a paranoid schizophrenic," said Irven Box. Box, acting as a legal analyst, questioned if the authenticity of Moussaoui's claims. He believes the request will be rejected by the Government.

Box also pointed Moussaoui's motive for such a rare request could be to get a reprieve from his detention.

"He's complained about food and rats in his cell and things of that nature, so it's just another ploy," said Box.

Moussaoui also claims he was recently beaten by other terrorists in the penitentiary due to his previous testimony. So, in addition to the hearing, he asked the Oklahoma City federal judge to order the warden to stop ”their campaign of harassment and intimidation" against him.

His request has been assigned to a Magistrate Judge Shon T. Erwin. It is unclear if his case will actually be heard.