U.S. Refuses Access to Testimony of Al Qaeda Suspects in German Prosecution

On November 19, 2002, Hans Leistritz, a counsel for Mounir el-Motassadeq, who is being prosecuted in Hamburg, Germany for his involvement in the planning of the September 11, 2001 terrorism attacks in the U.S., revealed the U.S. Justice Department has denied a German court?s request for testimony from two suspected members of Al Qaeda who are in U.S. custody. However, the U.S. Government will allow access to and testimony from one terrorist suspect in U.S. custody. Currently, there is no treaty for mutual assistance in criminal matters between the U.S. and Germany although they regularly have many cases required international cooperation. Friction has also existed in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in terms of U.S.-German cooperation.