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)

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Source: Voice of America

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