Professor Katherine Donahue, better known to most as Kate, recently wrote her first book to be released in August of this year. An anthropology professor here at Plymouth State, sat in her small but cozy office, every inch of the space covered with books. Kate took an interest in the supposed twentieth hijacker of 9/11 and later progressed into telling the story of the “Slave of Allah; Zacarias Moussaoui vs. the U.S.A.,” an anthropological view of the man himself and of his trial.
Clock: What prompted your interest in Moussaoui?Katherine Donahue: Well I initially read about him in the New York Times in October of 2001 and saw that he grew up in an area of Southern France near where I had done some fieldwork, which I thought was interesting. I kept up with him in the media and as the creaky system of justice started rolling my interest started growing. I was giving a paper when a friend told me she could put me in contact with someone close to the case and from there it just sort of took off.
Clock: You traveled to France to speak with Moussaoui’s mother, correct?KD: I went to a lovely little town in the South of France called Narbonne to meet with her, yes. She’s done quite well for herself really; she worked hard but is retired now and has a beautiful view. It was nice to be able to see where he grew up as a boy. Sting and Bob Marley are still posted up on the basement walls.
Clock: Did you find her Muslim beliefs to conflict with how she felt as a mother of someone facing the death penalty?KD: Islam is a religion where love is very important and her Islam is in her heart. While she, with his joining such fundamentalist groups- groups she does not herself believe in, she loves her son and is working to support him. Right now she’s trying to find a way to lighten his sentence of solitary confinement for 23 hours a day. I don’t know if that will ever happen but she’s trying.
Clock: How might your book have changed had he been sent to death row?KD: That’s a good question, but I’m not sure if it would change. I’m trying more to explain him rather than take a stance on the outcome. Throughout the trial he was portrayed as somewhat unstable, maybe even a little crazy. But I mean here’s a guy who has a Master’s degree in international business. He’s a bright guy. I want to explain why someone growing up in France would feel the way he does.
Clock: What were your impressions of Moussaoui during the hearing?KD: He was a little intimidating. He had put on some weight since previous pictures I had seen and he scowled when he walked into the courtroom, looking very closed to the whole experience.
Clock: Did you ever meet Moussaoui personally?KD: No, you weren’t allowed to speak to him. Security clamped down hard on any communication with him, understandably (he is a self-acclaimed member of al Qaeda). In fact, at one point during the trial, Moussaoui motioned at one of the sketch artists to show him the drawing and the artist wouldn’t comply. He said afterward that he didn’t want to cause any commotion with the guards.
Clock: Did you feel that justice was served after the verdict was reached?KD: Given the choices of either life in prison or death, yes I think justice was served with his life sentence.
Clock: After all your research, do you believe Bin Laden’s claim that Moussaoui had nothing to do with 9/11?KD: I do. I think he knew that there was a plot but I don’t think he knew any of the specifics. Chances are he was probably part of some second wave plot.
Clock: Your title seems to suggest sympathy for Moussaoui, is that something we can expect throughout the book?KD: Well he called himself Slave of Allah quite often so that’s where it originated. I think he was bringing his Jihad with him into court. But like I said, my purpose for writing was more to explain rather than take a stand.
Clock: If it were ever possible, would you like to see him released from prison somewhere down the line?KD: It’s hard to say. A dream of his mother’s is to get him transported to France for the remainder of his sentence: the conditions would probably be more lenient there. Realistically though, given his history, it’s hard to say that it will happen. There’s no good answer here. If released, he’ll most likely return to al Qaeda or another fundamentalist group. And if solitary confinement is revoked, the violence within prison can be pretty dangerous as well.
Clock: Do you have any interest in following up on Moussaoui in the years to come?KD: Absolutely. He is in the process of appealing at the fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia with a new legal team and I definitely intend to follow the appeal. Also I hope to keep in touch with people I’ve worked closely with; his mother and others from the case.
Clock: Do you have any idea of what’s next for you? KD: Actually I’m already writing a piece on Tanzanite, a semi-precious gem found in the east African country of Tanzania.