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DATE=10/28/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240851
TITLE=ECUADOR/TERRORIST (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=RALPH KURTENBACH
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO: AUTHORITIES IN ECUADOR HAVE DEPORTED AN EGYPTIAN ACCUSED 
OF BELONGING TO A TERRORIST GROUP RESPONSIBLE FOR MASSACRING MORE
THAN 60 PEOPLE IN EGYPT LAST YEAR.   BUT AS RALPH KURTENBACH 
REPORTS FROM QUITO, THE MAN'S WHEREABOUTS ARE UNKNOWN.
TEXT: ECUADOR'S NATIONAL POLICE SAYS MOHAMED ABED ABDEL AAL WAS 
DEPORTED FOR HAVING VIOLATED THE COUNTRY'S IMMIGRATION LAWS.   
AUTHORITIES SAY MR. ABDEL'S IMMIGRATION VIOLATIONS STEM FROM 
HAVING SURREPTITIOUSLY LEFT ECUADOR FOR COLOMBIA, WHERE THE 
COLOMBIAN SECRET POLICE, THE DAS, NABBED HIM LAST WEEK.  
AFTER BEING DEPORTED FROM BOGOTA TO QUITO LAST WEDNESDAY, HE WAS 
DETAINED AND AN INVESTIGATION WAS LAUNCHED.  BUT ECUADOR'S 
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT IS MAKING NO STATEMENTS ON WHAT IT 
LEARNED ABOUT MR. ABDEL, WHO IS REPORTED TO BE A MEMBER OF A 
MILITANT GROUP (AL-GAMA-AL-ISLAMIYA) THAT VIOLENTLY OPPOSES 
EGYPT'S SECULAR GOVERNMENT.  THE GROUP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LAST 
YEAR'S MASSACRE OF 62 PEOPLE AT A POPULAR TOURIST SITE IN LUXOR, 
EGYPT.   
 NATIONAL POLICE SPOKESMAN PATRICIO JACOME SAYS THE SCOPE OF MR. 
ABDEL'S IMMIGRATION VIOLATIONS DID NOT COVER HIS SUPPOSED 
TERRORIST CONNECTIONS.  HOWEVER, A GUAYAQUIL NEWSPAPER SAYS 
INVESTIGATORS FOCUSED THEIR EFFORTS ON POSSIBLE CONTACTS MR. 
ABDEL MAY HAVE MADE DURING HIS STAY IN ECUADOR.  WHILE POLICE ARE
SAYING LITTLE ON MR. ABDEL'S CASE, THE EGYPTIAN EMBASSY IN QUITO 
REFUSED COMMENT ALTOGETHER.  
THERE ARE DIFFERING ACCOUNTS OF MR. ABDEL'S DEPORTATION, WHICH 
TOOK PLACE LATE SUNDAY. A GUAYAQUIL NEWSPAPER QUOTES POLICE 
SPOKESMAN JACOME AS SAYING THE DEPORTATION TOOK PLACE UNDER 
"EXTREME MEASURES OF SECURITY" WITH THE MAN'S DESTINATION AS 
CAIRO. BUT A QUITO DAILY QUOTES ANOTHER POLICE SPOKESMAN AS  
CALLING THE DESTINATION UNCERTAIN, INDICATING THAT MR. ABDEL 
COULD HAVE LEFT THE PLANE DURING A LAYOVER IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. 
A QUITO TELEVISION STATION REPORTS POLICE FROM THE NETHERLANDS 
WERE ENROUTE TO ECUADOR WITH STRONG EVIDENCE SUPPORTING MR. 
ABDEL'S REPORTED TERRORISM CONNECTIONS. THE TELEVISION REPORT 
SAID THE DUTCH POLICE CHANGED THEIR PLANS UPON LEARNING THAT MR. 
ABDEL HAD ALREADY LEFT THE COUNTRY. (SIGNED)
NEB/RK/WFR
28-Oct-98 5:19 PM EST (2219 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.