DATE=8/27/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237785
TITLE=BOMBING SUSPECT/ ARRAIGNMENT (S&L)
BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  A KEY SUSPECT IN THE BOMBING OF THE U-S EMBASSY IN 
NAIROBI, KENYA, WAS ARRAIGNED IN FEDERAL COURT IN NEW YORK TODAY 
(THURSDAY).  V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT BARBARA SCHOETZAU REPORTS.  

TEXT:  MOHAMED RASHED DAOUD AL-OWHALI (OH HAH' LEE) HAS BEEN 
CHARGED ON 14 COUNTS INVOLVING THE BOMBING OF THE U-S EMBASSY IN 
NAIROBI WHICH KILLED MORE THAN 250 PEOPLE. TWELVE OF THE COUNTS 
ACCUSE MR. AL-OWHALI OF DELIBERATLY MURDERING THE 12  AMERICANS 
WHO DIED IN THE AUGUST SEVENTH BLAST.

HE IS ALSO CHARGED WITH THROWING A HAND GRENADE IN THE DIRECTION 
OF AN EMBASSY GUARD AND THREATENING TO USE WEAPONS OF MASS 
DESTRUCTION AGAINST U-S PROPERTY. ON ALL COUNTS, MR. AL-OWHALI IS
CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING "TOGETHER WITH OTHERS KNOW AND UNKNOWN." 

JUDGE SHARON GRUBIN SET SEPTEMBER 28TH AS THE DATE FOR A 
PRELIMINARY HEARING FOR MR. AL-OWHALI, WHO WAS REPRESENTED BY A 
PUBLIC DEFENDER. 

                    /// REST OPT FOR LONG ///

MR. AL-OWHALI -- ALSO KNOWN AS KHALID SALIM SALEH BIN RASHED --  
WAS FLOWN TO THE UNITED STATES OVERNIGHT FROM KENYA. 

THE AFFIDAVIT FILED AGAINST MR. AL-OWHALI BY THE FEDERAL BUREAU 
OF INVESTIGATION SAYS KENYAN OFFICIALS FIRST APPROACHED THE 
DEFENDANT ABOUT TWO DAYS AFTER THE EXPLOSION.  AT THAT TIME, 
ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINT, MR. AL-OWHALI APPEARED TO HAVE 
SUFFERED SEVERAL INJURIES, INCLUDING A LARGE BACK WOUND AND 
NUMEROUS CUTS AND ABRASIONS. HE WAS SUSEQUENTLY TAKEN INTO 
CUSTODY BY KENYAN OFFICIALS.

ACCORDING TO AN AFFIDAVIT SIGNED BY MR. AL-OWHALI, HE TRAINED IN 
TERRORIST CAMPS IN AFGHANISTAN DEDICATED TO OPPOSING NON-ISLAMIC 
GOVERNMENTS WITH FORCE AND VIOLENCE. SEVERAL OF THE CAMPS ARE LED
BY OSAMA BIN LADEN, THE SAUDI MILLIONAIRE WHO IS THOUGHT TO BE 
THE MASTERMIND BEHIND THE AUGUST SEVENTH BOMBINGS OF U-S 
EMBASSIES IN NAIROBI AND TANZANIA. 

THE F-B-I COMPLAINT SAYS MR. AL-OWHALI TOLD THE F-B-I THE EMBASSY
BOMBING WAS A MARTYRDOM OPERATION WHICH HE DID NOT EXPECT TO 
SURVIVE. 

WHEN ASKED BY JUDGE GRUBIN IF EVERYTHING IN THE AFFIDAVIT HE HAD 
SIGNED WAS TRUE, MR. AL-OWHALI NODDED "YES." (SIGNED)


NEB/NY/BJS/LSF/PT



27-Aug-98 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.