DATE = JANUARY 13, 1998
TYPE= EDITORIAL
NUMBER= 0-07604
TITLE= EDITORIAL: JUSTICE FOR RAMZI YOUSEF
CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST
JANUARY 13, 1998.
ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE
VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
VOICE:
THIS MONTH, A U.S. JUDGE SENTENCED RAMZI AHMED YOUSEF TO
TWO-HUNDRED FORTY YEARS IN PRISON. YOUSEF WAS CONVICTED OF
PLANNING THE FEBRUARY 1993 BOMBING OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER IN
NEW YORK CITY. SIX AMERICANS DIED WHEN THE TERRORISTS'
THOUSAND-POUND CAR BOMB EXPLODED BENEATH THE HUGE TWIN
SKYSCRAPERS. ONE OF THOSE KILLED WAS MONICA RODRIQUEZ SMITH, A
THIRTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD EXPECTANT MOTHER. MORE THAN ONE-THOUSAND
PEOPLE WERE INJURED AND PROPERTY DAMAGE AMOUNTED TO A HALF
BILLION DOLLARS.
YOUSEF WAS CONVICTED IN NOVEMBER 1997. HIS TRIAL TOOK MORE
THAN THREE MONTHS. JURORS HEARD MORE THAN ONE-HUNDRED WITNESSES
AND SAW HUNDREDS OF EXHIBITS. YOUSEF HAD BRAGGED THAT HE "WANTED
TO MAKE AMERICANS FEEL TERROR." HE SAID THAT HE HOPED THE
EXPLOSION WOULD CAUSE ONE OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER'S
ONE-HUNDRED-TEN-STORY TOWERS TO FALL ONTO THE OTHER AND KILL AS
MANY AS TWO-HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PEOPLE. THE JUDGE CALLED
YOUSEF AN "APOSTLE OF EVIL," AND TOLD HIM, "YOUR GOD IS NOT
ALLAH. YOU WORSHIP DEATH AND DESTRUCTION."
IN 1996, YOUSEF WAS CONVICTED OF CONSPIRACY IN THE 1994
BOMBING OF A PHILIPPINES AIRLINER BOUND FOR TOKYO. ONE
PASSENGER, A JAPANESE CITIZEN, WAS KILLED AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE
INJURED. YOUSEF AND TWO OTHER CONSPIRATORS HAD PLANNED TO BOMB
TWELVE U.S. AIRLINERS DURING A FORTY-EIGHT-HOUR PERIOD.
PHILIPPINES AUTHORITIES UNCOVERED THE PLOT, ARRESTED TWO OF THE
CONSPIRATORS AND HANDED THEM OVER TO U.S. AUTHORITIES. YOUSEF
ESCAPED TO PAKISTAN, WHERE HE WAS ARRESTED IN FEBRUARY 1995.
THE CONVICTION AND SENTENCING OF RAMZI AHMED YOUSEF
DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN THE
FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. THIS CASE MAKES IT CLEAR ONCE AGAIN
THAT THE U.S. WILL BRING TERRORISTS TO JUSTICE -- NO MATTER WHERE
THEY RUN, NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES.
ANNCR:
THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED
STATES GOVERNMENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE,
PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D-C,
20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043.
YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.
12-Jan-98 3:24 PM EST (2024 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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