DATE=8/11/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-218405
TITLE=TERROR TRIAL: YOUSEF LINK (L-O)
BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  IN THE TRIAL OF THE MAN ACCUSED OF MASTERMINDING THE 1993
BOMBING OF NEW YORK'S WORLD TRADE CENTER -- RAMZI YOUSEF -- THERE
WAS TESTIMONY TODAY (MONDAY) LINKING MR. YOUSEF TO THE MEN 
ALREADY CONVICTED OF CAUSING THE EXPLOSION.   CORRESPONDENT 
BARBARA SCHOETZAU REPORTS  

TEXT:  AN AMERICAN IMMIGRATION OFFICER IDENTIFIED MR. YOUSEF AS A
MAN WHO ENTERED THE UNITED STATES WITH IMPROPER DOCUMENTATION ON 
THE NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER FIRST, 1992. THAT WAS SIX MONTHS BEFORE 
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER EXPLOSION. 

MARK COSINE (CO-ZEEN) TOLD THE JURY MR. YOUSEF WAS DETAINED AT 
NEW YORK'S KENNEDY AIRPORT AFTER ARRIVING ON A FLIGHT FROM 
PAKISTAN BECAUSE HE DID  NOT HAVE A REQUIRED VISA.  ACCORDING TO 
THE IMMIGRATION OFFICER, MR. YOUSEF -- TRAVELING ON AN IRAQI 
PASSPORT -- SAID HE WAS SEEKING POLITICAL ASYLUM IN THE UNITED 
STATES, WHICH HE WAS EVENTUALLY GRANTED. 

A PAKISTANI AIRLINE EMPLOYEE HAS ALREADY TESTIFIED THAT MR. 
YOUSEF TRAVELED IN THE COMPANY OF AHMAD AJAJ.  IMMIGRATION 
OFFICER MARK CONZINE SAID MR. AJAJ WAS ALSO DETAINED, BECAUSE HE 
WAS USING A FRAUDULENT SWEDISH PASSPORT.  A SEARCH OF MR. AJAJ'S 
BAGGAGE TURNED UP MANUALS ON EXPLOSIVES AND GUNS AND AT LEAST 
THREE OTHER PASSPORTS UNDER SEVERAL NAMES.  MR.  AJAJ WAS 
ARRESTED AND JAILED FOR SIX MONTHS.  IN 1994, MR. AJAJ AND THREE 
OTHER MEN WERE CONVICTED IN THE CONSPIRACY TO BLOW UP THE WORLD 
TRADE CENTER. 

MR. YOUSEF FLED THE UNITED STATES FOLLOWING THE TRADE CENTER 
EXPLOSION AND WAS ARRESTED IN PAKISTAN TWO YEARS LATER.  LAST 
YEAR, HE WAS CONVICTED OF PLOTTING TO BLOW UP U-S AIRPLANES 
FLYING OVER ASIA. PROSECUTORS SAY THE FOILED PLAN WAS DESIGNED TO
PUNISH THE UNITED STATES FOR ITS SUPPORT OF ISRAEL.  (SIGNED)

NEB/NY/BJS/LSF/RRM

11-Aug-97 4:01 PM EDT (2001 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.