The man known as the ‘treasurer’ for the 9/11 terrorists has returned to his home country to a ‘hero’s welcome’, it has been reported.
Mounir el-Motassadeq is one of only two men jailed over the 9/11 terror attacks and has served less than 15 years in prison.
He was deported from Germany back to his home country of Morocco after being released early.
According to the Daily Mail, el-Motassadeq is now living in his family home in a suburb of Marrakech with his wife and children and has been greeted by well-wishers since his return.
The newspaper said people had described the ‘jubilant’ reaction of friends, family and neighbours when the 44-year-old returned, with people coming from all over Morocco to see him.
El-Motassadeq, who was described during his trial as the ‘treasurer’ for the 9/11 hijackers, served less than 15 years in prison for his part in the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in September 2001.
Zacarias Moussaoui, the only other man convicted over the attacks, is serving six life sentences in a maximum security prison in the US after admitting to being part of the plot.
According to the Mail, El-Motassadeq grinned and said he was too busy to speak when the newspaper tracked him down in Marrakech, while his sister reportedly said ‘praise be to God’ when asked if she was happy about his release.
One neighbour told the paper the streets were full of people coming to see him after his return.
Neighbours said they were ‘very happy’ to have him back. One – Hayat, a former model for Louis Vuitton – said there were jubilant scenes after his return on Friday.
