DATE=8/16/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237149
TITLE=PAKISTAN AFRICA BOMBINGS (L-UPDATE 2)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS CONFIRMED A SUSPECT IN
THE U-S EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN EAST AFRICA HAS BEEN SENT BACK TO
KENYA. CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN HAS MORE FROM OUR
ISLAMABAD BUREAU.
TEXT: A FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT SAYS THE SUSPECT, IDENTIFIED
AS AN ARAB NATIONAL NAMED MOHAMMAD SADIK HOWAIDA, WAS SENT BACK
TO NAIROBI AND HANDED OVER TO KENYAN AUTHORITIES.
THE STATEMENT INDICATES PAKISTAN HELD THE SUSPECT FOR MORE THAN
ONE-WEEK. IT SAYS AUTHORITIES ACTED ONLY AFTER INTERROGATING HIM
AND FINDING TO THEIR SATISFACTION HE WAS LINKED TO THE BOMBINGS
IN KENYA AND TANZANIA.
THE STATEMENT SAYS MR. HOWAIDA WAS ACTUALLY ARRESTED ON AUGUST
SEVENTH -- THE DAY THE BOMBINGS OCCURRED -- AT KARACHI AIRPORT
AFTER ARRIVING FROM NAIROBI. THE PAKISTANI NEWSPAPER, "THE
NEWS", SAYS HE WAS DETAINED AFTER PRESENTING A FALSE PASSPORT AND
TRYING TO BRIBE AUTHORITIES.
"THE NEWS" ALSO SAYS THE SUSPECT TOLD AUTHORITIES TWO OF HIS
ACCOMPLICES EARLIER ENTERED PAKISTAN. THE PAPER SAYS THE TWO MAY
NOW BE IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE SAUDI MILITANT OSAMA BIN LADEN IS
REPORTED TO BE STAYING. MR. BIN LADEN HAS VOWED TO WAGE A HOLY
WAR AGAINST THE UNITED STATES.
MEANWHILE, ANALYSTS CAUTION NOT TO MAKE TOO MUCH OUT OF THE
DEVELOPMENTS BECAUSE THE INVESTIGATION IS IN A VERY PRELIMINARY
STAGE. THEY SAY IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW BIG A ROLE THE SUSPECT MAY
HAVE PLAYED IN THE BOMBINGS. THEY SAY PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES, IN
AN EFFORT TO HELP THE UNITED STATES IN A MAJOR CASE, MAY HAVE
ACTED WITH ONLY THIN EVIDENCE.
U-S OFFICIALS IN ISLAMABAD HAVE SAID THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION ON
THE MATTER. PAKISTAN HAS HANDED OVER SUSPECTS IN SEVERAL OTHER
PROMINENT CASES INVOLVING TERROR ATTACKS ON AMERICAN TARGETS.
ONE-YEAR AGO MIR AIMAL KASI WAS CAPTURED IN PAKISTAN AFTER A
FOUR-YEAR INTERNATIONAL MANHUNT. MR. KASI WAS CONVICTED IN 1997
OF KILLING TWO C-I-A EMPLOYEES OUTSIDE THE AGENCY'S HEADQUARTERS
IN 1993.
IN FEBRUARY OF 1995 RAMZI AHMAD YOUSEF, THE SUSPECTED MASTERMIND
OF THE 1993 WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING IN NEW YORK, WAS CAPTURED
IN PAKISTAN AND TURNED OVER TO U-S AUTHORITIES. HE WAS
SUBSEQUENTLY CONVICTED OF THE ATTACK. (SIGNED)
NEB/RAE
16-Aug-98 8:34 AM EDT (1234 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
NEWSLETTER
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|