Mounir Al-Mostassadek was arrested just months after the 9/11 attacks and he was friends with Mohammed Atta, the pilot on one of the planes that were hijacked. He admitted to spending time in the Al-Qaeda camp that took place in Afghanistan around the time of the early 2000’s. A while after the attacks on the US, investigators discovered that he had power of attorney over a bank account owned by the second alleged plane pilot, Marwan Al-Shehhi.

It was about the middle of the day when Mostassadek was taken from the prison in Germany. The German authorities are transporting him with heavy guarding. Pictures were leaked on Monday showing him wearing a blindfold with his hands wrapped together while being taken to the helicopter.  He was the very first person to be convicted in the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center.

Mostassadek has spent about 15 years in prison after being a part of the attacks on the people aboard the airplanes that were hijacked and used in the 9/11 attacks.  Even though he has almost served his entire sentence, they are still going to deport him. In addition, he has denied being involved in the 9/11 attacks but he has admitted to being friends with those who committed these horrible tragedies.

Mostassadek said that his actions were only favors for his friends and says he had never heard of the plot until he saw his friend’s faces appear on the news. He also went on trial in 2002. In 2003 he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for aiding the 9/11 plotters but that was over turned in 2004, which led up to a fresh trial in 2006. Mostassadek appealed in 2007 for the final trial and he was found guilty for being an accessory to murder. He got a 15 year sentence, which is the maximum the German court could give for that crime, but is now being deported to Morocco.

Many people have mixed feelings about Mostassadek getting out of prison. Even Lakewood High School’s own sophomore Alexander Blinky said, “I’m glad he was locked away for 15 years, but I don’t like that he’s being deported because then he could possibly be a part of another terrorist attack.”