DATE=8/16/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237149
TITLE=PAKISTAN AFRICA BOMBINGS (L-UPDATE 2)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS CONFIRMED A SUSPECT IN 
THE U-S EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN EAST AFRICA HAS BEEN SENT BACK TO 
KENYA.  CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN HAS MORE FROM OUR 
ISLAMABAD BUREAU.

TEXT:  A FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT SAYS THE SUSPECT, IDENTIFIED 
AS AN ARAB NATIONAL NAMED MOHAMMAD SADIK HOWAIDA, WAS SENT BACK 
TO NAIROBI AND HANDED OVER TO KENYAN AUTHORITIES.

THE STATEMENT INDICATES PAKISTAN HELD THE SUSPECT FOR MORE THAN 
ONE-WEEK.  IT SAYS AUTHORITIES ACTED ONLY AFTER INTERROGATING HIM
AND FINDING TO THEIR SATISFACTION HE WAS LINKED TO THE BOMBINGS 
IN KENYA AND TANZANIA.

THE STATEMENT SAYS MR. HOWAIDA WAS ACTUALLY ARRESTED ON AUGUST 
SEVENTH -- THE DAY THE BOMBINGS OCCURRED -- AT KARACHI AIRPORT 
AFTER ARRIVING FROM NAIROBI.  THE PAKISTANI NEWSPAPER, "THE 
NEWS", SAYS HE WAS DETAINED AFTER PRESENTING A FALSE PASSPORT AND
TRYING TO BRIBE AUTHORITIES. 

"THE NEWS" ALSO SAYS THE SUSPECT TOLD AUTHORITIES TWO OF HIS 
ACCOMPLICES EARLIER ENTERED PAKISTAN.  THE PAPER SAYS THE TWO MAY
NOW BE IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE SAUDI MILITANT OSAMA BIN LADEN IS 
REPORTED TO BE STAYING.  MR. BIN LADEN HAS VOWED TO WAGE A HOLY 
WAR AGAINST THE UNITED STATES. 

MEANWHILE, ANALYSTS CAUTION NOT TO MAKE TOO MUCH OUT OF THE 
DEVELOPMENTS BECAUSE THE INVESTIGATION IS IN A VERY PRELIMINARY 
STAGE.  THEY SAY IT IS  NOT  CLEAR HOW BIG A ROLE THE SUSPECT MAY
HAVE PLAYED IN THE BOMBINGS.  THEY SAY PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES, IN 
AN EFFORT TO HELP THE UNITED STATES IN A MAJOR CASE, MAY HAVE 
ACTED WITH ONLY THIN EVIDENCE.  

U-S OFFICIALS IN ISLAMABAD HAVE SAID THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION ON 
THE MATTER.  PAKISTAN HAS HANDED OVER SUSPECTS IN SEVERAL OTHER 
PROMINENT CASES INVOLVING TERROR ATTACKS ON AMERICAN TARGETS.  
ONE-YEAR AGO MIR AIMAL KASI WAS CAPTURED IN PAKISTAN AFTER A 
FOUR-YEAR INTERNATIONAL MANHUNT.  MR. KASI WAS CONVICTED IN 1997 
OF KILLING TWO C-I-A EMPLOYEES OUTSIDE THE AGENCY'S HEADQUARTERS 
IN 1993.

IN FEBRUARY OF 1995 RAMZI AHMAD YOUSEF, THE SUSPECTED MASTERMIND 
OF THE 1993 WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING IN NEW YORK, WAS CAPTURED 
IN PAKISTAN AND TURNED OVER TO U-S AUTHORITIES.  HE WAS 
SUBSEQUENTLY CONVICTED OF THE ATTACK.   (SIGNED)

NEB/RAE

16-Aug-98 8:34 AM EDT (1234 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.