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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