Mounir el-Motassadeq, a Moroccan found guilty in 2007 for his involvement in the September 11 attacks, has officially sought to be removed from the list of terrorists, as reported by German media sources.
Motassadeq was part of a Hamburg-based group in Germany from 1999 to September 11, 2001, intending to carry out terrorist acts against Western countries, including the United States. The group received military training from Al-Qaida in Afghanistan and planned large-scale attacks involving explosives and airplanes as weapons.
Actively supporting the preparations for these attacks financing the terrorist organization. In 2001, he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison for complicity in murder and affiliation with a terrorist organization.
After serving a significant portion of his sentence in Germany, Motassadeq was deported to Morocco in October 2018. He now formally requests to be removed from the United Nations list of individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaida. Being listed on this roster entails sanctions, such as travel restrictions and asset freezing.
According to Spiegel magazine, an ombudsman is currently gathering information on Motassadeq in various countries, including Germany.
The review of Motassadeq’s request could take up to a year and a half, with the final decision resting with the Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee in New York. Statistically, his chances appear favorable, as approximately 70 out of 100 similar requests have been approved in recent years.
The German government has indicated it will not support his delisting, considering him still esteemed in the Islamist scene, with jihadists visiting him during his imprisonment.
An entry ban has been imposed on him until April 3, 2064, and even if removed from the terrorist list, he would not be allowed to return to Germany until he is elderly.