DATE=10/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239950
TITLE=TERROR/SUSPECT PLEA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOE CHAPMAN
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THREE SUSPECTS ENTERED NOT GUILTY PLEAS TODAY (THURSDAY)
IN NEW YORK TO CHARGES THEY WERE PART OF A TERRORIST CONSPIRACY
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOMBING OF TWO U-S EMBASSIES IN AFRICA. VOA'S
JOE CHAPMAN REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.
TEXT: WADIH EL HAGE, MOHAMED SADDIQ ODEH AND MOHAMMED RASHED
AL-OWAHALI LISTENED INTENTLY TO U-S DISTRICT JUDGE LEONARD SAND.
IN A SOFT VOICE, JUDGE SAND ASKED EACH IN TURN TO RAISE THEIR
RIGHT HANDS IF THEY UNDERSTOOD THE PROCEEDINGS AND THE CHARGES
AGAINST THEM.
EACH MAN QUICKLY RAISED HIS RIGHT HAND. JUST AS SWIFTLY, EACH
AGREED TO WAIVE THE READING OF THE NUMEROUS COUNTS IN THEIR
INDICTMENTS ON CHARGES THAT RANGE FROM PERJURY TO THE MURDER OF
MORE THAN 265 PERSONS IN THE BOMBING OF U-S EMBASSIES IN KENYA
AND TANZANIA.
THEN, ONE AFTER THE OTHER, EACH MAN STOOD, DRESSED IN PRISON
ISSUE LIGHT BLUE SHIRTS AND NAVY BLUE PANTS, HELD UP AROUND THEIR
WAISTS BY ELASTIC BANDS. EACH MAN WAS ASKED HOW HE PLEADED TO THE
CHARGES. THE FIRST TWO ANSWERED, "NOT GUILTY," WITH MR. ODEH
ELABORATING, "NOT GUILTY AT ALL."
TO ONE SIDE, NEWS MEDIA ARTISTS SKETCHED THE MEN AS THE FIRST
FORMAL STEPS WERE TAKEN TOWARD A TRIAL. THE THREE MEN, AND
ANOTHER WHO IS A FUGITIVE, ARE ACCUSED OF WORKING FOR A TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS AL QAEDA, SAID TO BE LED BY A WEALTHY SAUDI
EXILE, OSAMA BIN LADEN.
THE RELATIVELY BRIEF PROCEEDING BEFORE JUDGE SAND WAS AN EARLY
PROCEDURAL STEP AS THE CASE MAKES ITS WAY TO TRIAL. JUDGE SAND
SET A NOVEMBER 10TH DATE FOR WHAT IS KNOWN AS A STATUS
CONFERENCE. A TRIAL DATE COULD BE SET THEN.
DESPITE THE LOW KEY NATURE OF THE PROCEEDINGS, THERE WERE A FEW
MOMENTS OF QUIET DRAMA. PATRICK KENNEDY, THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR IN
THE CASE, TOLD THE COURT IN RESPONSE TO A DEFENSE ATTORNEY'S
QUESTION THAT PROSECUTORS WILL "SERIOUSLY CONSIDER" ASKING FOR
THE DEATH PENALTY IF THE MEN ARE CONVICTED.
MR. KENNEDY SAID A DECISION ON WHETHER TO ASK FOR THE DEATH
PENALTY MAY TAKE SOME TIME. BUT THAT AND OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE
STILL ONLY PROCEDURAL QUESTIONS COULD BE RESOLVED AT THE STATUS
CONFERENCE.
OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM, IN A STATEMENT BEFORE THE MEN APPEARED IN
JUDGE SAND'S COURT, U-S ATTORNEY MARY JO WHITE DESCRIBED THE
CASE AGAINST THE THREE MEN, NOT IN PROCEDURAL TERMS, BUT AS THE
FIRST STEP TOWARD JUSTICE FOR ALL THE EMBASSY BOMBING VICTIMS,
BOTH AMERICANS AND CITIZENS OF KENYA AND TANZANIA. (SIGNED)
NEB/NY/JMC/LSF/WFR
08-Oct-98 4:40 PM EDT (2040 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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