DATE=3/10/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246458
TITLE= FRANCE LIBYA TRIAL (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JULIAN NUNDY
DATELINE=PARIS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A FRENCH COURT WEDNESDAY CONVICTED AND SENTENCED SIX
LIBYANS IN THEIR ABSENCE TO LIFE IN JAIL FOR THE 1989 BOMBING OF
A FRENCH AIRLINER THAT KILLED 170 PEOPLE ON BOARD. JULIAN NUNDY
REPORTS FROM PARIS.
TEXT: THE SIX LIBYANS -- INCLUDING ABDALLAH SENOUSSI, A
BROTHER-IN-LAW OF LIBYAN LEADER MUAMMAR GADHAFI -- WERE ALL GIVEN
THE MAXIMUM LIFE SENTENCE FOR THE BOMBING OF A FRENCH D-C-10
AIRLINER OVER NIGER IN 1989. ALL OF THEM WERE ABSENT FROM THE
TRIAL, HOWEVER.
WHILE NONE IS LIKELY TO EVER SEE THE INSIDE OF A FRENCH PRISON
CELL, THE VERDICT DOES MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE SIX -- ALL
MEMBERS OF LIBYA'S SECURITY SERVICES OR DIPLOMATS -- TO TRAVEL.
THEY RISK ARREST AND BEING HANDED OVER TO FRANCE, IF THEY GO
ABROAD. IF THEY ARE EVER ARRESTED BY FRENCH POLICE, THEY WILL
AUTOMATICALLY BE GUARANTEED A NEW TRIAL UNDER FRENCH LAW.
THIS WEEK'S TRIAL BY A SPECIAL FRENCH ANTI-TERRORIST COURT LASTED
JUST THREE DAYS. THAT'S BECAUSE ONLY THE PROSECUTION'S CASE AND
STATEMENTS BY LAWYERS REPRESENTING THE FAMILIES OF THE 170 WHO
DIED WERE HEARD.
THE BOMBING OF THE FRENCH AIRLINER THAT WAS FLYING BETWEEN
BRAZZAVILLE AND PARIS, ALONG WITH A SIMILAR ATTACK ON A PAN
AMERICAN AIRLINER OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND NINE MONTHS EARLIER,
LED THE UNITED NATIONS TO IMPOSE INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS ON
LIBYA.
THE AMERICANS AND THE BRITISH HAVE SOUGHT THE EXTRADITION OF THE
LIBYAN OFFICIALS THEY HOLD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOCKERBIE TRAGEDY
TO BE TRIED BEFORE AN INTERNATIONAL COURT. BUT FRANCE HAS NOT
FORMALLY SOUGHT THE EXTRADITION OF ITS SIX SUSPECTS. IT HAS
INSTEAD TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO PERSUADE LIBYA TO SURRENDER THEM
VOLUNTARILY.
FRANCE'S ANTI-TERRORIST SERVICES CONCLUDED THAT LIBYA WAS
RESPONSIBLE AFTER THEY ANALYZED 15 TONS OF WRECKAGE STREWN OVER
THE TENERE DESERT. THEIR KEY ITEM OF EVIDENCE WAS PART OF A
GERMAN-MADE TIMING DEVICE OF A KIND BOUGHT IN BULK BY LIBYA.
THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE BOMB WAS CARRIED UNWITTINGLY BY A
CONGOLESE WHO WAS GIVEN THE SUITCASE CONTAINING THE BOMB BY A
LIBYAN DIPLOMAT IN BRAZZAVILLE.
DURING THE INVESTIGATION, LIBYA ALLOWED FRANCE'S MAIN
ANTI-TERRORIST INVESTIGATOR TO VISIT TRIPOLI TO INTERVIEW
SUSPECTS.
COLONEL GADHAFI HAS HINTED THAT HE MIGHT BE WILLING TO MAKE THE
SUSPECTS SERVE WHATEVER SENTENCES ARE HANDED DOWN IN PARIS -- BUT
ONLY THAT TIME IS SERVED IN LIBYAN JAILS. LAWYERS FOR THE
VICTIMS' FAMILIES NOW SAY THEY WILL TRY AND PUT PRESSURE ON LIBYA
TO MAKE THIS PROMISE COME TRUE. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWN/PCF
10-Mar-99 11:03 AM EST (1603 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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