DATE=5/6/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43324
TITLE=SUDAN BOMBING LAWSUIT
BYLINE=ED WARNER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN RETALIATION FOR THE BOMBING OF THE U-S EMBASSIES IN
KENYA AND TANZANIA, THE UNITED STATES DESTROYED A PLANT IN SUDAN
IN AUGUST 1998 THAT IT SAID WAS PRODUCING INGREDIENTS FOR POISON
GAS. THE SUDANESE PROTESTED THE PLANT WAS MANUFACTURING ONLY
LEGITIMATE PHARMACEUTICALS. EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THAT VIEW HAS
MOUNTED, AND NOW THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS NOT CHALLENGED A LAWSUIT
BROUGHT BY THE PLANT'S OWNER AND RELEASED 24 MILLION DOLLARS OF
HIS FUNDS THAT HAD BEEN FROZEN. VOA'S ED WARNER REPORTS THE
CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SUIT AND THE RESPONSE OF THE U-S
GOVERNMENT.
TEXT: EVER SINCE U-S CRUISE MISSILES DESTROYED A PLANT IN
KHARTOUM, THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT HAS CLAIMED THE FACILITY WAS
PRODUCING ONLY PHARMACEUTICALS, NOT POISONS FOR WEAPONS. BUT
SINCE SUDAN HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN ATROCITIES IN ITS LONG WAR WITH
SOUTHERN REBELS AS WELL AS ENSLAVING SOME CAPTIVES, ITS WORD HAS
BEEN QUESTIONED.
NOW THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED NOT TO CHALLENGE A LAWSUIT
BROUGHT BY THE PLANT'S OWNER, SALEH IDRIS, A SUDANESE
BUSINESSMAN, AND HAS LIFTED THE FREEZE ON HIS U-S BANK ACCOUNTS.
HIS ATTORNEY GEORGE SALEM, A SENIOR PARTNER AT THE WASHINGTON LAW
FIRM OF AKIN, GUMP, STRAUSS, HAUER AND FELD, SAYS THIS IS A CLEAR
VICTORY FOR MR. IDRIS AND A TACIT ADMISSION BY THE U-S GOVERNMENT
THAT IT HAD MADE A MISTAKE IN BOMBING THE PLANT.
MR. SALEM SAYS THE U-S GOVERNMENT RELIED ON FAULTY INFORMATION
THAT SOIL NEAR THE PLANT CONTAINED CHEMICALS USED FOR NERVE GAS:
// SALEM ACT //
WE DID AN INDEPENDENT SOIL SAMPLING AND FOUND THE SOIL
TO BE CLEAN, AND WE PRESENTED THAT TO THE GOVERNMENT.
PLUS WE HAD FOLLOWED ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONAL PROTOCOLS
AND HAD THREE SEPARATE LABS ANALYZE THE SOIL. IN
ADDITION, WE COMMISSIONED A FULL INVESTIGATION AND
BACKGROUND CHECK ON THE CLIENT AT HIS REQUEST, AND HE
CAME OUT COMPLETELY CLEAN WITH NO CONNECTIONS WHATSOEVER
TO OSAMA BIN LADEN OR ANY TERRORIST ORGANIZATION OR
GROUP OF ANY KIND.
// END ACT //
MR. SALEM SAYS HE BELIEVES ONE OR MORE FOREIGN NATIONS SUPPLIED
THE ERRONEOUS INFORMATION TO WASHINGTON. BUT HE HOLDS THE U-S
GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECISION TO BOMB. HE IS NOW
NEGOTIATING FOR COMPENSATION FOR THE DESTROYED PLANT. IF IT IS
NOT PROVIDED, HE SAYS HIS CLIENT WILL FILE ANOTHER LAWSUIT TO
RECOVER IT.
VOA WAS UNABLE TO GET A DIRECT COMMENT FROM A U-S OFFICIAL ON THE
LAWSUIT. BUT ACCORDING TO A REPORT IN THE WASHINGTON TIMES
NEWSPAPER (MAY 5), A U-S OFFICIAL WHO ASKED NOT TO BE
IDENTIFIED SAID THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAD TOTAL CONFIDENCE
IN THE INFORMATION IT RECEIVED ABOUT THE FACTORY. HE ALSO NOTED
THE U-S GOVERNMENT IS NOT PURSUING THE CASE BECAUSE IT MIGHT
COMPROMISE CLASSIFIED INTELLIGENCE AND THE METHODS OF ITS
COLLECTION. HE ADDED THE U-S GOVERNMENT STILL HAS CONCERNS ABOUT
THE ACTIONS AND BACKGROUND OF MR. IDRIS.
DOUGLAS JOHNSTON IS PRESIDENT OF THE CENTER FOR RELIGION AND
DIPLOMACY, A RESEARCH ORGANIZATION IN WASHINGTON. ON A RECENT
VISIT TO SUDAN, HE WAS TAKEN TO THE RUINED PLANT. HE SAYS IT IS
UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD WANT TO RETALIATE FOR
THE BOMBING OF ITS EMBASSIES, BUT VENGEANCE HAS CONSEQUENCES:
// JOHNSTON ACT //
QUITE APART FROM WHETHER THAT WAS A RIGHT OR WRONG
TARGET, THERE ARE A LOT OF POOR SUDANESE WHO ARE GOING
WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICALS BECAUSE IT TRULY WAS A
PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING PLANT. I WENT OUT THERE
AND TOURED THE SITE WITH THE MANAGER, AND YOU COULD JUST
SEE THE PHARMACEUTICALS BLASTED ALL OVER THE PLACE.
// END ACT //
MR. JOHNSTON SAYS THE SUDANESE ARE ANXIOUS TO HAVE BETTER
RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES, BUT ARE RESIGNED TO MORE HARSH
TREATMENT. HE BELIEVES THE UNITED STATES WOULD LOOK A LOT BETTER
IN SUDAN AND IN THE REGION IF IT CONCEDED THAT IN THE CASE OF THE
PHARMACEUTICAL PLANT, IT MADE A MISTAKE. (SIGNED)
NEB/EW/KL
07-May-99 10:46 AM EDT (1446 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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