DATE=6/27/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-234646 TITLE=THAILAND-TERRORISTS (L ONLY) BYLINE=DAVID BUTLER DATELINE=BANGKOK CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THAI POLICE WORKING IN COOPERATION WITH U-S FEDERAL AGENTS HAVE ARRESTED FOUR YOUNG PAKISTANIS IN BANGKOK, ON SUSPICION OF BEING PART OF THE TERRORIST GROUP RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 1993 BOMBING OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER BUILDING IN NEW YORK. DAVID BUTLER REPORTS FROM THE THAI CAPITAL. TEXT: THAI SOURCES QUOTED IN A REPORT IN THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER "THE NATION" SATURDAY SAID THE FOUR WERE SUSPECTED OF PLANNING TO ASSASSINATE U-S AMBASSADOR WILLIAM ITOH AND LAUNCH A TERRORIST ATTACK ON THE U-S EMBASSY HERE. THE SOURCES -- WHO REQUESTED ANONYMITY -- ALLEGE THE FOUR WERE WORKING ON A 27-THOUSAND DOLLAR CONTRACT FROM AN IRANIAN TERRORIST GROUP. HOWEVER, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AMERICAN MISSION IN BANGKOK SAYS THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A THREAT TO AMERICAN INTERESTS IN THAILAND. THE SPOKESMAN ALSO SAYS THERE IS NO FIRM EVIDENCE LINKING THE FOUR TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING, WHICH KILLED SIX PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN ONE-THOUSAND. THE SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED U-S OFFICIALS WERE JOINING THAI AUTHORITIES IN QUESTIONING THE FOUR MEN (MOHAMAD RAHIM, HADJA PAHU SASA, HARA HAJ HUSEM, AND HAREEF HUSEN) -- ALL AGED BETWEEN 25 TO 30. THE NATION REPORT SAID AMBASSADOR ITOH HIMSELF WAS AMONG A GROUP OF AMERICAN OFFICIALS WHO QUESTIONED THE FOUR SUSPECTS AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S IMMIGRATION JAIL IN BANGKOK. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE IMMIGRATION POLICE INVESTIGATION UNIT TOLD REPORTERS THE FOUR WILL BE CHARGED WITH OVERSTAYING THEIR VISAS AND SENT HOME UNLESS THE UNITED STATES REQUESTS THEIR EXTRADITION. (SIGNED) NEB/DB/CB/MMK 27-Jun-98 8:08 AM EDT (1208 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
