ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Zacarias Moussaoui flashed a victory sign and declared, "God save Osama bin Laden," just minutes before he was formally sentenced to life in prison.


Moussaoui is to be dispatched to solitary confinement at a maximum-security federal lockup in Florence, Colo., although French authorities say they may ask to have the French-born convict serve his term in France.

The prison in Florence is about 90 miles southeast of Denver. The prison has housed some of the nation's most notorious criminals, including 1993 World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef, Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph, Unabomber Ted Kaczynski and Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols

Judge Leonie Brinkema warned Moussaoui he wouldn't be able to use his sentencing to make a political speech. But Moussaoui made it clear his loyalties remain with al-Qaida.

The admitted terror sympathizer said he is proud to fight for his belief, and dismisses being "branded" as "a terrorist or a criminal or whatever."

Moussaoui also declared that the US "will never get" bin Laden.

The judge told Moussaoui he would "die with a whimper" -- never allowed to speak publicly again.