Moussaoui's Mental Health Scrutinized

Psychologist Says Confessed Terrorist Is Paranoid Schizophrenic

(CBS/AP)  Zacarias Moussaoui's behavior is abnormal even for an al Qaeda terrorist, a defense psychologist testified Tuesday.

Xavier Amador diagnosed the Sept. 11, 2001, conspirator with paranoid schizophrenia after observing his actions and writings since 2002. He cited delusional beliefs firmly held by Moussaoui, including his conviction that President Bush will free him from prison and that his court-appointed lawyers are in a conspiracy to kill him.

He also contrasted Moussaoui's erratic behavior with that of several other al Qaeda terrorists who have been tried in U.S. criminal court.

But prosecutors have their own medical experts who are going to say later this week that this diagnosis is unsound and shouldn't affect the jury's decision anyway, according to CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen.

The defense introduced affidavits filed by lawyers for Ramzi Yousef, serving life in prison for the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center, and other al Qaeda members. All the lawyers said their clients actively assisted their defenses and did not believe their lawyers were working against them.

"What we see with this individual is unique to him," Amador said. "It's not al Qaeda."

Amador said the clincher in making his diagnosis was an April 2005 encounter with Moussaoui in which the defendant in the nation's only Sept. 11, 2001, prosecution repeatedly spit water on him and appeared to be talking to himself.

The psychologist said the visit lasted for about an hour, and that Moussaoui spent much of the time telling Amador to go away. Amador observed Moussaoui talking to himself in a manner that did not appear to be prayer, the witness said.

When Amador refused to go away, he said, Moussaoui spit water at him more than a dozen times before finally resigning himself to Amador's presence.

Moussaoui then complained that jail guards used excessive force in taking him from his Alexandria jail cell to a deposition at the federal courthouse. He also told Amador that Bush would release him from prison.

Amador testified that he had become convinced Moussaoui was suffering from a delusional thought disorder before the incident, and that encounter reinforced his belief.

Cohen said the psychologist's testimony is key to the defense.

"The defense only has this one card to play to explain Moussaoui's conduct, his devious passion, and only this one chance to try to generate sympathy for a guy who has said such awful things in court," Cohen said. "Sometimes as a lawyer you take your best shot and hope it resonates with at least one juror."

Moussaoui mocked the testimony about his having schizophrenia. He said "beautiful terrorist mind" as he was led from court during a recess, referring to the movie "A Beautiful Mind," which is about a mathematician with schizophrenia.