DATE= 12/12/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-224065

TITLE=FRANCE / CARLOS  (L)

BYLINE=JULIAN NUNDY

DATELINE=PARIS

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  ILICH RAMIREZ SANCHEZ, BETTER KNOWN AS THE TERRORIST 

CARLOS, APPEARED IN PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME FRIDAY WHEN HE WENT

ON TRIAL FOR THE 1975 MURDER OF TWO FRENCH UNDERCOVER AGENTS AND 

AN INFORMER.  JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS. 



TEXT:  DESPITE BEING THE DEFENDANT IN A MURDER TRIAL, ILICH 

RAMIREZ SANCHEZ WAS SMILING AND RELAXED WHEN HE APPEARED IN THE 

PARIS COURT.  HE TOOK IMMEDIATE CONTROL OF HIS OWN DEFENSE.



ASKED TO GIVE HIS NAME, AGE, AND PROFESSION, THE VENEZUELAN WHO 

USED THE CODENAME CARLOS SAID HE IS "A PROFESSIONAL REVOLUTIONARY

IN THE LENINIST TRADITION."  HE ADDED, "THE WORLD IS MY DOMAIN."



TALKING MUCH MORE THAN HIS DEFENSE LAWYERS, CARLOS OPTED TO USE 

THE DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO VETO MEMBERS OF THE JURY RATHER THAN 

HAVE HIS LAWYER SCRUTINIZE THE CHOICE.  IN FRANCE, THE JURY IS 

COMPOSED OF THREE JUDGES AND NINE ORDINARY CITIZENS. 



CARLOS TURNED DOWN THREE WOMEN JURORS.  IN THE END, THE ORDINARY 

JURORS COMPRISED SIX WOMEN AND THREE MEN. 



ALTHOUGH CARLOS IS LINKED TO A STRING OF TERRORIST ATTACKS, 

MOSTLY IN THE 1970'S, PARTICULARLY HIS DARING HOSTAGE-TAKING OF 

OIL MINISTERS IN VIENNA IN DECEMBER 1975, HIS TRIAL IN PARIS 

CONCERNS JUST ONE INCIDENT. 



THE HEARING IS A RETRIAL OF A CASE ALREADY HEARD IN HIS ABSENCE 

IN 1992.  HE IS ACCUSED OF KILLING TWO OFFICERS OF THE FRENCH 

D-S-T COUNTER-ESPIONAGE SERVICE AND A LEBANESE INFORMER IN PARIS 

IN JUNE 1975.  HE HAS ALREADY BEEN SENTENCED TO LIFE 

IMPRISONMENT, BUT NOW HAS THE CHANCE TO PRESENT A DEFENSE. 



THE FIRST DAY OF THE CASE WAS TAKEN UP FIRST WITH CARLOS AND HIS 

LAWYER ARGUING THAT HIS ARREST IN 1994 WAS ILLEGAL.  CARLOS WAS 

DRUGGED AND FLOWN OUT OF SUDAN TO PARIS IN A FRENCH MILITARY 

AIRCRAFT WITH THE COLLUSION OF THE SUDANESE AUTHORITIES. 



CARLOS ARGUED THAT THIS AMOUNTS TO A KIDNAPPING.  HIS FRENCH 

LAWYER SAID THE D-S-T AGENTS WHO DETAINED HIM IN THE SUDANESE 

CAPITAL, KHARTOUM, WERE "POLITICAL POLICE."  THIS DREW A PROTEST 

FROM THE PROSECUTOR WHO SAID THEIR MISSION WAS A "NOBLE" ONE. 



CARLOS ALSO PROTESTED THE PRESENCE OF LAWYERS FROM A FRENCH 

ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING THE VICTIMS OF TERRORISM.  IN AN OFTEN 

RAMBLING SPEECH, HE SAID THE ASSOCIATION IS "ZIONIST" AND 

"REVISIONIST".



CARLOS SAID HIS MAIN BATTLE IS AGAINST WHAT HE CALLED "AMERICAN 

IMPERIALISM" AND THAT HE WAS A MILITANT FOR THE PALESTINIAN 

CAUSE. DESCRIBING ZIONISM AS "A SORE ON HUMANITY," HE SAID THE 

ZIONIST MOVEMENT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE DEATHS THAN THE ALLEGED

TERRORISTS FIGHTING IT.  (SIGNED)



NEB/JWN/JWH



12-Dec-97 12:49 PM EST (1749 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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