18 October 2001
Text: Ashcroft on Sentencing of Terrorists Convicted in U.S. Embassy Bombings
(Says "America won a battle today" in putting them behind bars for
life) (1600)
"In the war against terrorism, America won a battle today," Attorney
General John Ashcroft said in a statement prepared for a October 18
Justice Department news conference on a Manhattan federal court's
sentencing of four terrorists to life in prison without the
possibility of parole for their participation in the August 1998
bombings of the American embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania.
In his prepared remarks, Ashcroft also discussed anti-terrorism
legislation moving rapidly through the U.S. Congress and the
seriousness with which the Department of Justice regards terrorist
hoaxes such as false anthrax threats.
"Making a terrorist threat is a federal offense -- even if the person
making the threat does not have the intention or the ability to carry
out the threat," he said. "Individuals who threaten the use of a
biological toxin can receive up to life in prison. The law provides
for up to five years in prison for mailing communications that contain
any threat to injure the addressee or any other person. Those who lie
to law enforcement officials about terrorist hoaxes can also receive
up to five years in prison."
Following is the Attorney General's statement as prepared for
delivery:
(begin text)
Attorney General John Ashcroft
Press Conference
Prepared Remarks
October 18, 2001
This afternoon, I have several announcements on the steps the Justice
Department has taken -- and the assistance we continue to need from
Congress -- in the war against terrorism.
In the war against terrorism, America won a battle today. A Manhattan
federal court sentenced four terrorists to life in prison without the
possibility of parole for their participation in the August 1998
bombings of the American embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania. Mohamed Sadeek Odeh [O-DAY], Mohamed Rashed Doud
Al-Owhali [AL-O-WALLY] and Khalfan Khamis Mohamed each received life
sentences for the terrorist attacks in which hundreds of Kenyan,
Tanzanian and American citizens were murdered. Odeh, Al-Owhali and
Mohammed also received additional life sentences for their
participation in several conspiracies to murder United States
nationals and U.S. government employees, as well as conspiracies to
use weapons of mass destruction against U.S. persons and property.
An additional terrorist, Wadih [WADDY] El Hage [Haj], was sentenced to
life imprisonment for his conviction for participating in conspiracies
to murder U.S. nationals and to destroy government property as well as
a conviction for perjury before a grand jury investigating the embassy
bombings.
On May 29, 2001, a jury found these four defendants guilty on all 302
counts against them for their involvement in a global plot, led by
Usama bin Laden and his terrorist network al Qaeda, to kill United
States nationals anywhere they could be found.
Evidence presented at trial documented that Al-Owhali received
terrorist training in al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan. Mohamed and Odeh,
who has been a sworn member of al Qaeda since 1992, also received
terrorist training in Afghanistan. In addition, the trial evidence
showed that El Hage, despite being a United States citizen, was a
central facilitator in the bombing plot, serving as a leader of the al
Qaeda cell in Nairobi and at one time as a personal assistant to bin
Laden. Al Qaeda stands charged, tried, convicted and sentenced for
terrorism.
To date, the total number of persons charged in connection with the
U.S. embassy bombings is 22, six of whom are in custody in the United
States and three of whom are in custody in the United Kingdom. There
is a reward of up to $5 million each for information leading to the
apprehension and prosecution of any of the remaining 13 fugitives --
which include Usama bin Laden -- all of whom have been named to the 22
most-wanted terrorists list.
While the fight against terrorism demands that American justice focus
on the prevention of future terrorist acts in addition to the
prosecution of past acts, today's sentence sends a message: the United
States will hunt terrorists down and make them pay the price for their
evil. I want to congratulate U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White and her team
for these successful prosecutions. I also want to commend the FBI for
their excellent work in this case. Most of the evidence was
international and difficult to assemble. As a result of the exemplary
work of prosecutors and investigators, Americans have four fewer
combatants to face in the global war against terrorism.
The second issue I would like to cover is the anti-terrorism
legislation requested by the administration that is currently working
its way through Congress. I am extremely gratified by the expeditious,
bi-partisan, bi-cameral attention this anti-terrorism legislation has
received.
Over the last month, the Administration and Congress have worked
together to update and strengthen our laws to combat terrorism. By
overwhelming, bi-partisan majorities, both the House and the Senate
have acted to make terrorism the priority in our laws that it now must
be; and they have acted to update our antiquated statutes to take into
account the new technologies terrorists today employ.
Yesterday, the leadership of the House and Senate, in addition to the
Judiciary Committee Chairmen and ranking members, came to a final
agreement on the anti-terrorism legislation. And I am gratified that I
can state, unequivocally, that this legislation, once passed and
signed into law, will immediately increase our capacity to detect,
disrupt and prevent acts of terrorism. The Department of Justice is
already working to ensure the immediate implementation of these
measures. I understand it is likely that Congress will pass this
legislation upon its return next Tuesday.
Let me identify a few specific tools of intelligence gathering that we
requested, and that Congress has agreed to:
First, better anti-terrorism coordination. The legislation will allow
FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) wiretaps -- a crucial
investigative technique in terrorism cases -- when the gathering of
foreign intelligence is a significant purpose of the investigation,
rather than permitting them only when gathering foreign intelligence
is the primary purpose. This makes the utilization of wiretaps against
terrorists much more workable, and will facilitate greater
coordination between the law enforcement side and the intelligence
side of our investigation. Such coordination is at the heart of our
ability to prevent future attacks.
Second, airtight surveillance of terrorists. The legislation permits
multi-point wiretaps in FISA cases, as we currently have in criminal
cases. This allows the court to authorize taps of any phones which the
suspect may use when it is shown that the suspect is changing phones
to thwart surveillance efforts. This authority will allow us to be
more effective in surveilling terrorists and their associates, and
increases our chances of learning ahead of time about their plans.
Third, better intelligence about terrorists' activities. The
legislation also permits foreign intelligence information obtained
through a federal grand jury to be shared with other federal law
enforcement or intelligence agencies, and with national defense and
national security officials. This will allow, for the first time,
information that might be relevant to preventing a terrorist attack to
be shared with those officials in a position to take preventive
action. Tearing down the wall between intelligence and criminal
information is one of the single most important steps we will take.
Finally, I would like to reiterate, for those who may doubt our
resolve, the seriousness with which the Department of Justice regards
terrorist hoaxes such as false anthrax threats.
Making a terrorist threat is a federal offense -- even if the person
making the threat does not have the intention or the ability to carry
out the threat. Individuals who threaten the use of a biological toxin
can receive up to life in prison. The law provides for up to five
years in prison for mailing communications that contain any threat to
injure the addressee or any other person. Those who lie to law
enforcement officials about terrorist hoaxes can also receive up to
five years in prison.
Already, a number of individuals have been charged with serious crimes
in connection with terrorist hoaxes:
-- Fred Forcellina of Fairfield County, Connecticut, faces up to life
imprisonment for threatening the use of weapons of mass destruction.
Forcellina is charged with dialing 911 to threaten that court houses,
schools and railroad stations would be quote "dusted."
-- Joseph Faryniarz (FAIR-in-yars) of Coventry, Connecticut, faces up
to five years in prison and serious fines for making false statements
to federal agents in connection with a terrorist hoax that shut down
the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection for two days at
a cost of $1.5 million to taxpayers.
-- Terry Olson of Price, Utah, faces up to five years and fines for
making false statements to the FBI about his knowledge of an anthrax
hoax.
-- And William Sylvia of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, could receive five
years in prison and a $250,000 fine for mailing a letter purported to
contain anthrax.
The Department of Justice is currently working with state and local
officials to prosecute additional cases of false terrorist threats and
anthrax hoaxes. In the meantime, the serious charges and substantial
penalties faced by these four individuals should eliminate any
remaining doubt in the minds of those who would perpetrate terrorist
hoaxes: you will be caught, you will be prosecuted and you will pay a
high price for your crimes.
Thank you.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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