DATE=12/23/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-224467
TITLE=FRANCE / CARLOS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=JULIAN NUNDY
DATELINE=PARIS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
//// WILL BE UPDATED AFTER VERDICT ANNOUNCEMENT. /////
INTRO: THE LAST DAY OF THE MURDER TRIAL OF THE ALLEGED
VENEZUELAN TERRORIST, CARLOS, RAN INTO THE EVENING AFTER A NEW
PROCEDURAL PROBLEM WAS RAISED. JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS.
TEXT: SINCE THE TRIAL OF ILICH RAMIREZ SANCHEZ, BETTER KNOWN AS
CARLOS, BEGAN ON DECEMBER 12TH, DAILY INTERRUPTIONS HAVE DELAYED
THE CASE SEVERAL TIMES, MEANING THE HEARING LASTED TWO-DAYS
LONGER THAN EXPECTED.
THE FINAL DAY OF THE TRIAL WAS NO EXCEPTION. JUST AFTER HIS
DEFENSE LAWYERS HAD SUMMED UP THEIR CASE, AND AS CARLOS WAS ABOUT
TO SPEAK ON HIS OWN ACCOUNT, THEY FOUND A NEW PRETEXT TO PROMPT A
RECESS.
THIS CAME WHEN THE DEFENSE ARGUED CARLOS HAD BRIEFLY BEEN WITHOUT
A LAWYER ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE TRIAL DECEMBER 15TH. HIS
LAWYERS HAD WALKED OUT, PROTESTING A REFUSAL BY THE JUDGE TO RULE
CARLOS' ARREST IN 1994 WAS ILLEGAL.
FOR ABOUT AN HOUR THAT DAY, UNTIL A COURT-APPOINTED LAWYER TOOK
OVER, EVIDENCE WAS HEARD WITHOUT LEGAL COUNSEL IN ATTENDANCE FOR
THE DEFENDANT. UNDER FRENCH LAW, A DEFENDANT MUST BE ASSISTED BY
A LAWYER DURING TRIAL.
TUESDAY, THE TRIAL RESUMED AFTER A SHORT SUSPENSION IN WHICH THE
DEFENSE ARGUMENT WAS REJECTED. THE DELAY MEANT THE JURY COULD
NOT RETIRE TO CONSIDER ITS VERDICT UNTIL THE EVENING.
EARLIER, THE PROSECUTOR CALLED FOR THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF LIFE
IMPRISONMENT TO BE HANDED DOWN FOR THE MURDER OF TWO FRENCH
COUNTER-ESPIONAGE OFFICERS AND A LEBANESE INFORMANT IN PARIS IN
1975.
THE PROSECUTOR SAID THIS WAS NOT REVENGE BUT SIMPLE APPLICATION
OF FRENCH LAW. AT THIS, CARLOS, WHO HAS OFTEN SURPRISED THE
COURT BY HIS RELAXED AND IRREVERENT ATTITUDE, STOOD UP TO APPLAUD
THE PROSECUTOR.
CARLOS' MOST FAMOUS OPERATION WAS THE KIDNAPPING OF ARAB AND
DEVELOPING WORLD OIL MINISTERS IN VIENNA IN 1975. HE THEN TOOK
THEM IN A PLANE PROVIDED BY THE AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT TO ALGERIA
AND LIBYA BEFORE RELEASING THE LAST OF HIS HOSTAGES IN ALGIERS.
DURING THE PARIS TRIAL, CARLOS, DESCRIBING HIMSELF AS A
"PROFESSIONAL REVOLUTIONARY," HAS NOT CONTESTED THE CHARGES
AGAINST HIM. HE SAYS HE IS PROUD OF HIS ACTIVITIES ON BEHALF OF
THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE IN THE 1970'S AND 1980'S.
CARLOS WAS SPIRITED OUT OF HIS LAST HIDING PLACE IN SUDAN THREE
YEARS AGO BY FRENCH AGENTS AND FLOWN TO PARIS WHERE HE HAS BEEN
IN JAIL SINCE.
HIS DEFENSE LAWYERS ARGUED FOR AN ACQUITTAL ON THE GROUNDS THERE
WERE TECHNICAL ERRORS IN THE POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO THE 1975
KILLINGS. AS ONE OF HIS LAWYERS REMARKED, EVEN AN ACQUITTAL
WOULD NOT HAVE MEANT FREEDOM. CARLOS STILL FACES FIVE MORE
TRIALS FOR ATTACKS ON FRENCH SOIL THAT CAUSED ANOTHER 13 DEATHS
AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS TERRORIST CAREER. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWN/JWH
23-Dec-97 1:05 PM EST (1805 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
