Terror suspect's guilty plea blocked

The so-called 20th hijacker in the 11 September attacks, Zacarias Moussaoui, tried to plead guilty to charges that carry the death penalty yesterday, only to be told by a federal judge that he should take a week to think about it.

Judge Leonie Brinkema refused to accept Mr Moussaoui's plea, insisting that he needed more time to consider the implications.

"I am a member of al-Qa'ida pledged to Osama bin Laden," Mr Moussaoui told the US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia.

Mr Moussaoui is the only person to have been charged over the events of 11 September. Investigators allege that he was due to have been a member of the gang that seized control of United Airlines flight 93, which crashed in rural Pennsylvania.

He appeared in court yesterday after the government obtained a third indictment against him, including new details that would make it easier to obtain the death penalty. Mr Moussaoui said he wished to make a "pure plea" and make a statement about his participation in a terrorist group.

When Judge Brinkema said she thought Mr Moussaoui was confused, he replied: "I'm not confused, thank you." The judge then told him his only choices were: guilty, not guilty, or no contest, and she had already ruled out the latter.

Mr Moussaoui then said he was pleading guilty but the judge said she believed he needed more time to consider this and scheduled another hearing for next week. Mr Moussaoui said he wanted to fight the attempt to have him executed.

The trial of Mr Moussaoui, a French citizen who was educated in Britain, is due to start on 30 September.