DATE=1/22/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244514
TITLE= FRANCE ISLAMISTS TRIAL (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JULIAN NUNDY
DATELINE=PARIS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A PARIS COURT FRIDAY ACQUITTED NEARLY ONE-QUARTER OF 138
DEFENDANTS ACCUSED OF BEING ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS IN A TRIAL THAT
OPENED LAST SEPTEMBER. THE DECISION ADDS TO THE EMBARRASSMENT OF
A FRENCH ANTI-TERRORIST SERVICE THAT IS UNDER FIRE FOR
OVERREACTING AND PRODUCING ONLY MEAGER RESULTS. JULIAN NUNDY
REPORTS FROM PARIS.
TEXT: THE THREE MAIN DEFENDANTS IN THE TRIAL WERE EACH GIVEN
SENTENCES OF EIGHT YEARS IN JAIL FOR THEIR ROLE IN RUNNING A
LOGISTICS NETWORK FOR ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS FIGHTING THE GOVERNMENT
IN ALGERIA.
BUT ANOTHER 31 OF THE 138 ON TRIAL WERE ACQUITTED ON ALL CHARGED.
ANOTHER 20 HAD CHARGES OF KNOWINGLY BELONGING TO A TERRORIST
GROUP DISMISSED.
THE MAINLY NORTH AFRICAN DEFENDANTS WERE ACCUSED OF OBTAINING AND
TRANSPORTING ARMS AND EXPLOSIVES FOR TERRORIST GROUPS IN ALGERIA.
THE TRIAL, HELD FOR SECURITY REASONS IN A PRISON GYMNASIUM JUST
OUTSIDE PARIS, SHOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR COURT
CASES IN FRANCE IN MODERN TIMES. HOWEVER, FROM THE SECOND DAY OF
HEARINGS, MANY OF THE DEFENDANTS REFUSED TO APPEAR IN COURT. SO
DID MANY OF THE 120 FRENCH LAWYERS REPRESENTING THEM. THEY ARGUED
THAT THE SECTION OF THE PARIS PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE HANDLING
TERRORIST AFFAIRS HAD OVERSTEPPED THE MARK AND HAD ROUNDED UP FAR
TOO MANY SUSPECTS.
THIS VIEW WAS GIVEN SOME JUSTIFICATION BY THE JUDGES, WHO DID NOT
HEED THE PROSECUTION'S CALL TO GIVE ALLEGED RING LEADERS
10-YEAR-JAIL TERMS.
/// OPT /// THE LENIENT TREATMENT HANDED OUT TO THE DEFENDANTS
-- WHO WERE ARRESTED BEFORE A WAVE OF ALGERIAN ISLAMIC BOMBINGS
IN FRANCE IN 1995 AND 1996 -- ADDS TO THE WOES OF THE FRENCH
ANTI-TERRORIST SERVICE AND ITS CHIEF, JEAN-LOUIS BRUGUIERE.
A WEEK AGO, ANOTHER COURT DISMISSED CHARGES AGAINST ILICH RAMIREZ
SANCHEZ, THE VENEZUELAN BETTER KNOWN AS "CARLOS," FOR BOMBING A
PARIS CAFE IN 1974. THE COURT CRITICIZED THE CASE DRAWN UP BY MR.
BRUGUIERE. IN PRACTICAL TERMS FOR CARLOS, THIS MEANS LITTLE
SINCE HE IS ALREADY SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE IN A FRENCH JAIL FOR
THE MURDER OF TWO FRENCH SECURITY AGENTS.
MR. BRUGUIERE HAS ALSO BEEN RECEIVING UNFAVORABLE PUBLICITY
BECAUSE HIS ANTI-TERRORIST UNIT HAS FAILED TO FIND THE KILLERS OF
THE MAIN FRENCH GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE ON THE MEDITERRANEAN
ISLAND OF CORSICA, WHO WAS ASSASSINATED LAST FEBRUARY.
IN THAT CASE, MR. BRUGUIERE AND TWO FELLOW INVESTIGATING
MAGISTRATES HAVE THEMSELVES BEEN QUESTIONED OVER ILLEGAL LEAKS TO
THE MEDIA. EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE FAMILY OF THE DEAD CORSICAN
PREFECT CLAUDE ERIGNAC APPEALED FOR AN END TO QUARRELS BETWEEN
THE INVESTIGATORS AND FOR NEW EFFORTS TO FIND THE MURDERERS.
ADDING TO THE PROBLEMS HAS BEEN A NEW REPORT FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS FEDERATION, ALLEGING THAT THE FRENCH
ANTI-TERRORIST SERVICE ABUSES ITS POWERS. THE FEDERATION ACCUSED
MR. BRUGUIERE OF INDULGING IN SPECTACULAR BUT INEFFECTIVE
OPERATIONS THAT PUT THE RIGHTS OF THE CITIZEN AT RISK. /// END
OPT /// (SIGNED)
NEB/JWN/PCF/GE
22-Jan-99 10:57 AM EST (1557 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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