DATE= 11/3/97 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-222099 TITLE=TERROR TRIAL: CLOSING ARGUMENTS (L - ONLY) BYLINE=MAX RUSTON DATELINE=NEW YORK CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE TRIAL OF THE MAN ACCUSED OF MASTERMINDING THE 1993 BOMBING OF NEW YORK'S WORLD TRADE CENTER IS REACHING ITS FINAL STAGE. THE GOVERNMENT PROSECUTOR BEGAN HIS CLOSING ARGUMENTS TODAY (MONDAY), AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON IN NEW YORK. TEXT: PROSECUTOR DAVID KELLEY SAYS DEFENDANTS RAMZI YOUSEF AND EYAD ISMOIL HAD HOPED TO KILL UP TO A QUARTER-MILLION PEOPLE BY BOMBING NEW YORK'S WORLD TRADE CENTER IN 1993. HE SUMMARIZED WEEKS OF TESTIMONY, SAYING EXTENSIVE TELEPHONE RECORDS AND FINGERPRINTS PROVE THAT THE TWO MEN WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOMBING AND INTENDED TO KILL TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE -- CHARGES BOTH DEFENDANTS DENY. MR. KELLEY SAID THE PROSECUTION DEMONSTRATED THE TWO MEN HAD THE MEANS AND INTENT TO CARRY OUT THE CRIME. HE SAID PROSECUTORS PROVIDED THE JURY WITH "INDISPUTABLE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE" TYING THE DEFENDANTS TO MATERIALS USED IN THE BOMBING. MR. YOUSEF IS THE ALLEGED MASTERMIND OF THE BOMBING. MR. ISMOIL IS CHARGED WITH DRIVING A VEHICLE INTO A PARKING GARAGE UNDERNEATH NEW YORK'S TALLEST SKYSCRAPERS ON FEBRUARY 26TH, 1993. MR. ISMOIL CONTENDS HE BELIEVED THE VEHICLE WAS LOADED WITH SOAP AND SHAMPOO. PROSECUTOR DAVID KELLEY TOLD THE JURY IN NEW YORK THAT ASSERTION WAS A PATHETIC LIE. THE VEHICLE EXPLODED AFTER MR. ISMOIL LEFT THE PARKING GARAGE, KILLING SIX PEOPLE AND INJURING MORE THAN ONE-THOUSAND. PROSECUTORS SAY MR. YOUSEF LATER TOLD A U-S SECURITY OFFICER THAT HE HAD HOPED TO CAUSE ONE OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER'S TWIN TOWERS TO COLLAPSE ON TOP OF THE OTHER, KILLING UP TO 250-THOUSAND PEOPLE. PROSECUTORS SAID THE BOMBING WAS CARRIED OUT BY THE TWO MIDDLE EASTERN MEN IN RETALIATION FOR U-S AID TO ISRAEL. THE PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE CLOSING STATEMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED LATE TUESDAY, AFTER WHICH A JURY WILL CONSIDER THE EVIDENCE AGAINST THE TWO ALLEGED TERRORISTS. RAMZI YOUSEF AND EYAD ISMOIL FACE POSSIBLE MAXIMUM SENTENCES OF LIFE IN PRISON IF CONVICTED. THIS IS THE SECOND CASE BROUGHT AGAINST RAMZI YOUSEF IN AS MANY YEARS. LAST YEAR, HE WAS CONVICTED OF PLOTTING TO BOMB A DOZEN U-S AIRLINERS OVER ASIA IN ORDER TO CREATE WHAT PROSECUTORS DESCRIBED AS "48 HOURS OF TERROR IN THE SKY." (SIGNED) NEB/NY/MPR/LSF/RRM 03-Nov-97 2:10 PM EST (1910 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America
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