DATE =      JANUARY 13, 1998

TYPE=        EDITORIAL

NUMBER=      0-07604

TITLE=       EDITORIAL:  JUSTICE FOR RAMZI YOUSEF



CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST 

JANUARY 13, 1998.







ANNCR:

THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE 

VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF

THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.



VOICE:



      THIS MONTH, A U.S. JUDGE SENTENCED RAMZI AHMED YOUSEF TO 

TWO-HUNDRED FORTY YEARS IN PRISON.  YOUSEF WAS CONVICTED OF 

PLANNING THE FEBRUARY 1993 BOMBING OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER IN 

NEW YORK CITY.  SIX AMERICANS DIED WHEN THE TERRORISTS' 

THOUSAND-POUND CAR BOMB EXPLODED BENEATH THE HUGE TWIN 

SKYSCRAPERS.  ONE OF THOSE KILLED WAS MONICA RODRIQUEZ SMITH, A 

THIRTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD EXPECTANT MOTHER.  MORE THAN ONE-THOUSAND 

PEOPLE WERE INJURED AND PROPERTY DAMAGE AMOUNTED TO A HALF 

BILLION DOLLARS.



      YOUSEF WAS CONVICTED IN NOVEMBER 1997.  HIS TRIAL TOOK MORE

THAN THREE MONTHS.  JURORS HEARD MORE THAN ONE-HUNDRED WITNESSES 

AND SAW HUNDREDS OF EXHIBITS.  YOUSEF HAD BRAGGED THAT HE "WANTED

TO MAKE AMERICANS FEEL TERROR."  HE SAID THAT HE HOPED THE 

EXPLOSION WOULD CAUSE ONE OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER'S 

ONE-HUNDRED-TEN-STORY TOWERS TO FALL ONTO THE OTHER AND KILL AS 

MANY AS TWO-HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PEOPLE.  THE JUDGE CALLED 

YOUSEF AN "APOSTLE OF EVIL," AND TOLD HIM, "YOUR GOD IS NOT 

ALLAH.  YOU WORSHIP DEATH AND DESTRUCTION."



      IN 1996, YOUSEF WAS CONVICTED OF CONSPIRACY IN THE 1994 

BOMBING OF A PHILIPPINES AIRLINER BOUND FOR TOKYO.  ONE 

PASSENGER, A JAPANESE CITIZEN, WAS KILLED AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE

INJURED.  YOUSEF AND TWO OTHER CONSPIRATORS HAD PLANNED TO BOMB 

TWELVE U.S. AIRLINERS DURING A FORTY-EIGHT-HOUR PERIOD.  

PHILIPPINES AUTHORITIES UNCOVERED THE PLOT, ARRESTED TWO OF THE 

CONSPIRATORS AND HANDED THEM OVER TO U.S. AUTHORITIES.  YOUSEF 

ESCAPED TO PAKISTAN, WHERE HE WAS ARRESTED IN FEBRUARY 1995.



      THE CONVICTION AND SENTENCING OF RAMZI AHMED YOUSEF 

DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN THE 

FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM.  THIS CASE MAKES IT CLEAR ONCE AGAIN 

THAT THE U.S. WILL BRING TERRORISTS TO JUSTICE -- NO MATTER WHERE

THEY RUN, NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES.



ANNCR:



      THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED

STATES GOVERNMENT.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE, 

PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D-C, 

20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043.  

YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.



12-Jan-98 3:24 PM EST (2024 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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