DATE=12/24/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-224483

TITLE=FRANCE CARLOS  (L-UPDATE)

BYLINE=JULIAN NUNDY

DATELINE=PARIS

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



              // RE-ISSUING TO CORRECT CR NUMBER //



INTRO:  A FRENCH COURT SENTENCED THE VENEZUELAN TERRORIST CARLOS 

TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDER WEDNESDAY IN HIS FIRST TRIAL 

SINCE HE WAS CAPTURED BY FRENCH AGENTS IN SUDAN THREE YEARS AGO. 

JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS. 







TEXT:  AFTER AN EIGHT-DAY HEARING, THE PARIS ASSIZES COURT GAVE 

ILICH RAMIREZ SANCHEZ, BETTER KNOWN AS CARLOS, THE MAXIMUM LIFE 

SENTENCE FOR THE MURDER OF TWO FRENCH COUNTER-ESPIONAGE OFFICERS 

AND A LEBANESE INFORMANT IN PARIS 22 YEARS AGO.



WHEN HE HEARD THE SENTENCE, THE 48-YEAR-OLD CARLOS RAISED HIS 

LEFT FIST AND SHOUTED "LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION". THE SENTENCE, 

CONFIRMING THE SAME PUNISHMENT PASSED DOWN IN HIS ABSENCE FIVE 

YEARS AGO, CAME AS NO SURPRISE.



EARLIER, CARLOS USED THE TRADITIONAL DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO A LAST 

WORD TO THE FULL. NORMALLY A SHORT STATEMENT THAT LASTS A FEW 

SECONDS, CARLOS TURNED IT INTO A FOUR-HOUR SPEECH. 



HE DENOUNCED AMERICAN IMPERIALISM, ZIONISM AND WHAT HE CALLED THE

"MACDONALIZATION" OF THE WORLD, A REFERENCE TO THE AMERICAN 

MACDONALD'S HAMBURGER CHAIN. 



NOW, THE VENEZUELAN TERRORIST WHOSE MOST FAMOUS OPERATION WAS TO 

TAKE ARAB AND DEVELOPING WORLD OIL MINISTERS HOSTAGE IN VIENNA IN

1975 AND FLY THEM TO NORTH AFRICA, WILL FACE OTHER TRIALS FOR 

FIVE OTHER ATTACKS ON FRENCH SOIL IN WHICH 13 PEOPLE DIED.



THE PARIS TRIAL LASTED TWO DAYS LONGER THAN ORIGINALLY PLANNED 

BECAUSE OF CONSTANT INTERRUPTIONS BY THE DEFENSE ON PROCEDURAL 

POINTS  AND BECAUSE CARLOS MADE LONG AND RAMBLING STATEMENTS. 



EARLIER, THE PROSECUTOR HAD CALLED FOR A LIFE IMPRISONMENT. HE 

SAID THIS WAS NOT REVENGE BUT SIMPLE APPLICATION OF FRENCH LAW. 

AT THIS, CARLOS, WHO OFTEN SURPRISED THE COURT BY HIS RELAXED AND

IRREVERENT ATTITUDE, STOOD UP TO APPLAUD THE PROSECUTOR.



DURING THE PARIS TRIAL, CARLOS, DESCRIBING HIMSELF AS A 

"PROFESSIONAL REVOLUTIONARY," DID  NOT CONTEST THE CHARGES 

AGAINST HIM. HE SAID  HE IS PROUD OF HIS ACTIVITIES ON BEHALF OF 

THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE IN THE 1970S AND 1980S.



CARLOS WAS SPIRITED OUT OF HIS LAST HIDING PLACE IN SUDAN THREE 

YEARS AGO BY FRENCH AGENTS AND FLOWN TO PARIS WHERE HE HAS BEEN 

IN JAIL EVER SINCE.



HIS DEFENSE LAWYERS ARGUED FOR AN ACQUITTAL ON THE GROUNDS THAT 

THERE WERE TECHNICAL ERRORS IN THE POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO THE 

1975 KILLINGS.  AS ONE OF HIS LAWYERS REMARKED, EVEN AN ACQUITTAL

WOULD NOT HAVE MEANT FREEDOM BECAUSE OF THE OTHER CHARGES THAT  

CARLOS STILL FACES. (SIGNED)







NEB/PT/KL



24-Dec-97 12:11 AM EST (0511 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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