DATE=8/28/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237838
TITLE=2D BOMBING SUSPECT ARRAIGNED (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MARTIN BUSH
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE SECOND OF TWO SUSPECTS IN THE BOMBING OF THE U-S 
EMBASSY IN NAIROBI, KENYA WAS ARRAIGNED TODAY (FRIDAY) IN NEW 
YORK'S FEDERAL COURT.  V-O-A'S MARTIN BUSH REPORTS.

TEXT:  MOHAMMED SADDIQ ODEH HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH 12 COUNTS OF 
MURDER, CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER, AND CONSPIRACY TO USE 
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN THE BOMBING 20 DAYS AGO AT THE 
AMERICAN EMBASSY IN NAIROBI.  IN THAT ATTACK, 253 PEOPLE WERE 
KILLED INCLUDING 12 AMERICANS.

IN COURT PAPERS, MR. ODEH SAID THE ISLAMIC MILITANT USAMA BIN 
LADEN AND AL QEADA -- THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION HE ALLEGEDLY 
HEADS -- CARRIED OUT THE EMBASSY ATTACK.  ALTHOUGH THE 34 
YEAR-OLD DEFENDANT CLAIMS HE TOOK NO PART IN THE OPERATION, HE 
SAYS HE ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.

IN A HOT COURTROOM PACKED WITH REPORTERS, MR. ODEH SEEMED 
NERVOUS, CONSTANTLY PICKING AT HIS MOUSTACHE AND BEARD.  MR. ODEH
IS SLIGHT AND DARK-HAIRED AND HIS VOICE COULD HARDLY BE HEARD 
DURING THE THREE-MINUTE HEARING.  MR. ODEH -- WHO AUTHORITIES SAY
MAY BE A NATIVE OF EITHER JORDAN OR PALESTINE -- WAS REPRESENTED 
BY A COURT-APPOINTED LAWYER.  HIS PRELIMINARY HEARING WAS SET FOR
SEPTEMBER 28TH.

AFTER HIS ARREST BY THE KENYAN GOVERNMENT AUGUST 16TH, MOHAMMED 
SADDIQ ODEH ADMITTED, ACCORDING TO COURT PAPERS, THAT HE WAS AN 
ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE TERRORIST GROUP AL QEADA WHICH, HE ADDED, 
HAD TRAINED HIM IN THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES.

MR. ODEH SAID THE GROUP'S PURPOSE WAS TO INFLUENCE AMERICAN 
FOREIGN POLICY, TO KILL MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN ARMED FORCES IN 
SAUDI ARABIA, YEMEN AND SOMALIA, AND TO MURDER AMERICAN CIVILIANS
ANYPLACE IN THE WORLD.

MR. ODEH IS THE SECOND DEFENDANT IN TWO DAYS TO BE CHARGED WITH 
MURDERING PEOPLE WITH A BOMB AT THE U-S EMBASSY IN NAIROBI.  ON 
THURSDAY, MOHAMMED RASHED DAOUD AL 'OWHALI WAS SIMILARLY CHARGED 
IN THE SAME NEW YORK FEDERAL COURT. (SIGNED)

NEB/NY/MAB/LSF/PLM   

28-Aug-98 4:25 PM EDT (2025 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.