DATE=7/31/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-217960
TITLE=BROOKLYN EXPLOSIVES (S & L)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  OFFICIALS IN NEW YORK CITY SAY THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THE
POSSIBILITY OF A TERRORIST CONNECTION FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY 
TODAY (THURSDAY) OF SEVERAL EXPLOSIVE DEVICES IN A NEW YORK CITY 
APARTMENT.  V-O-A'S MAX RUSTON REPORTS FROM OUR NEW YORK BUREAU.

TEXT:  FIVE EXPLOSIVE DEVICES WERE DISCOVERED AFTER POLICE RAIDED
AN APARTMENT IN NEW YORK'S BROOKLYN BOROUGH, AND ARRESTED THREE 
MEN DESCRIBED AS MIDDLE EASTERN.  SOON AFTER POLICE ENTERED THE 
APARTMENT, ONE OF THE MEN REACHED FOR WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE A 
DETONATOR.  POLICE THEN OPENED FIRE, INJURING TWO OF THE (THREE) 
ARRESTED MEN.

OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE LAUNCHED A LARGE-SCALE INVESTIGATION INTO
THE INCIDENT.  NEW YORK MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI SAYS HE IS NOT 
RULING OUT A TERRORIST LINK, OR A POSSIBLE CONNECTION TO THE TWO 
SUICIDE BOMBINGS THAT TOOK PLACE WEDNESDAY IN JERUSALEM, KILLING 
MORE THAN ONE DOZEN PEOPLE.

                      /// REST OPTIONAL ///

                      /// GIULIANI ACT ///

         THERE IS NO CONNECTION IN THE SENSE OF A LINK BETWEEN 
         THE TWO INCIDENTS, AT LEAST AS IT HAS EMERGED SO FAR.  
         BUT, THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE 
         PEOPLE ARRESTED WAS YESTERDAY EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR 
         WHAT HAPPENED IN ISRAEL AND WAS GRATIFIED THAT IT HAD 
         OCCURRED.

                         /// END ACT ///

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE 
WHERE THE SUSPECTED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES CAME FROM AND WHAT THE MEN 
INTENDED TO DO WITH THEM. 

NEW YORK WAS THE TARGET OF A MAJOR TERRORIST ATTACK IN 1993, WHEN
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WAS BOMBED, RESULTING IN THE DEATHS OF SIX
PEOPLE.  THE ALLEGED MASTERMIND OF THAT BOMBING, RAMZI YOUSEF, IS
CURRENTLY ON TRIAL IN NEW YORK.  (SIGNED)

NEB/NY/MPR/LSF/RRM

31-Jul-97 5:34 PM EDT (2134 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.