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) NNNN Source: Voice of America .