DATE=7/29/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-217832
TITLE=TERRORIST HEARING(L-O)
BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
 
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  A COURT HEARING BEGAN IN NEW YORK TODAY (TUESDAY) TO 
DETERMINE WHETHER PROSECUTORS WILL BE ALLOWED TO PRESENT CERTAIN 
EVIDENCE TO THE JURY IN THE COMING TRIAL OF RAMSAY YOUSEF, THE 
ALLEGED MASTERMIND OF THE 1993 BOMBING OF NEW YORK'S WORLD TRADE 
CENTER.  CORRESPONDENT BARBARA SCHOETZAU REPORTS.  

TEXT:  THE HEARING STEMS FROM ALLEGATIONS MADE BY A SCIENTIST WHO
WORKED FOR THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, FREDERICK 
WHITEHURST.  MR. WHITEHURST CHARGED THAT IN AN EARLIER TRIAL 
CONCERNING THE WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING, THE F-B-I LABORATORY 
WAS GUILTY OF MISMANAGEMENT, CONTAMINATION OF EVIDENCE AND 
PRO-PROSECUTION BIAS. 

THE CONTROVERSY CENTERS ON THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT A HIGHLY 
EXPLOSIVE AND RARE COMPOUND, UREA NITRATE, WAS USED IN MAKING THE
BOMB THAT EXPLODED AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.  MR. WHITEHURST HAS
SAID THE FBI LABORATORY'S INITIAL REPORT THAT UREA NITRATE WAS 
PRESENT IN THE BOMB COULD  NOT  BE SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN.  
DEFENSE LAWYERS ARGUE THAT THE LABORATORY'S WORK WAS UNRELIABLE 
AND, THEREFORE, INADMISSIBLE.  

THE PROSECUTION IS ATTEMPTING TO LINK RESIDUE OF UREA NITRATE TO 
THE DEFENDANTS.  THE PROSECUTION'S FIRST WITNESS AT THE HEARING 
WAS ANOTHER F-B-I SCIENTIST, STEVEN BURMEISTER, A CHEMICAL 
EXPLOSIVES EXPERT WHO WORKED WITH MR. WHITHEURST AT THE LAB. MR. 
BURMEISTER TESTIFIED HE FOUND TRACES OF UREA NITRATE ON THE TIRE 
OF THE VAN THAT CONTAINED THE BOMB, ON THE CEILING OF AN 
APARTMENT THE DEFENDANTS RENTED, AND IN THE RESIDUE OF THE BOMB 
ITSELF. 

THE HEARING IS EXPECTED TO LAST THREE OR FOUR DAYS.  THE 
PRESIDING JUDGE WILL THEN RULE ON WHETHER THE DISPUTED EVIDENCE 
CAN BE USED BY PROSECUTORS.  THE TRIAL ITSELF OF RAMZI YOUSEF AND
AN ALLEGED ACCOMPLICE, EYAD ISMOIL (AY-YAD IS' MOW EEL), IS 
EXPECTED TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK. (SIGNED)

NEB/NY/BJS/LSF/LWM

29-Jul-97 4:29 PM EDT (2029 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.