DATE= 11/4/97 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-222156 TITLE=TERROR TRIAL: DEFENSE SUMMARY (L ONLY) BYLINE=MARTIN BUSH DATELINE=NEW YORK CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE DEFENSE LAWYERS OF TWO MEN ACCUSED OF EXPLODING A BOMB AT NEW YORK'S WORLD TRADE CENTER IN 1993 PRESENTED THEIR FINAL ARGUMENTS TO THE JURY TODAY (WEDNESDAY). V-O-A'S MARTIN BUSH REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. TEXT: RAMZI YOUSEF IS ACCUSED OF ORGANIZING A PLOT TO BLOW UP NEW YORK'S WORLD TRADE CENTER FOUR YEARS AGO. ALSO ON TRIAL IS EYAD ISMOIL, ACCUSED OF DRIVING THE TRUCK WITH THE BOMB. MR. ISMOIL'S ATTORNEY SAID HIS CLIENT HAD BEEN A DUPE OF MR. YOUSEF AND HAD NOT TAKEN PART IN BUILDING THE BOMB. HE DESCRIBED MR. ISMOIL AS "NO MENTAL GIANT." AS TO THE PROSECUTION'S CONTENTION THAT MR. ISMOIL HAD LOADED THE BOMB ONTO A VAN AT A STORAGE LOCKER, THE DEFENSE LAWYER SAID THE LOCKER HAD NO ILLUMINATION AND HIS CLIENT HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS LOADING. MR. ISMOIL WAS ARRESTED IN 1995 IN JORDAN WHERE HE ALLEGEDLY ADMITTED TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THAT HE HAD DRIVEN THE TRUCK IN WHICH THE BOMB WAS CONTAINED, BUT SAID HE THOUGHT HE WAS CARRYING BOXES OF SHAMPOO. SIX PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND MORE THAN ONE-THOUSAND PEOPLE INJURED IN 1993 WHEN A BOMB WAS DETONATED IN THE BASEMENT GARAGE OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER IN NEW YORK. RAMZI YOUSEF, CONVICTED LAST YEAR OF PLOTTING TO BOMB U-S AIRLINERS OVER ASIA, MAINTAINS HE IS INNOCENT OF MASTERMINDING THE TRADE CENTER BOMBING. THE CASE IS EXPECTED TO GO TO THE JURY WEDNESDAY. SHOULD THE DEFENDANTS BE CONVICTED, THEY COULD BE GIVEN (MANDATORY) LIFE SENTENCES. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/MAB/LSF/RRM .. 04-Nov-97 2:32 PM EST (1932 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America
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