DATE=8/30/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237885
TITLE=SUDAN/U-S (L ONLY)
BYLINE=SONYA LAURENCE GREEN
DATELINE=NAIROBI 
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  SUDAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS (SUNDAY) ALL LINKS BETWEEN 
SUDAN AND SUSPECTED TERRORIST OSAMA BIN LADEN WERE SEVERED YEARS 
AGO.  HE SAID THE RECENT U-S MISSILE ATTACK ON A PHARMACEUTICAL 
COMPANY IN SUDAN'S CAPITAL WAS UNCALLED FOR, SINCE MR. BIN LADEN 
HAD NO CONNECTION TO THE FACILITY.  SONYA LAURENCE GREEN REPORTS 
FROM NAIROBI.

TEXT:  FOREIGN MINISTER, MUSTAFA OSMAN ISMAIL, SAID SAUDI 
MILLIONAIRE AND SUSPECTED TERRORIST OSAMA BIN LADEN HAD LIVED IN 
SUDAN IN THE EARLY 1990'S, AND AT THE TIME OWNED SEVERAL 
BUSINESSES -- CHIEFLY ROAD CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES.  BUT ALL OF 
MR. BIN LADEN'S INTERESTS WERE SOLD TO PRIVATE FIRMS OR TO THE 
SUDANESE GOVERNMENT IN 1995 WHEN HE WAS ASKED TO LEAVE SUDAN.

MR. BIN LADEN HAD BEEN TOLD TO LEAVE SUDAN BECAUSE OF ALLEGATIONS
THAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN BEHIND TERRORIST BOMBINGS IN PARIS, FRANCE,
AND IN KHOBER, SAUDI ARABIA.  HE IS ALSO BELIEVED TO BE BEHIND 
THE AUGUST SEVENTH BOMBINGS OF U-S EMBASSIES IN KENYA AND 
TANZANIA.  SUDAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAID HIS COUNTRY NOW HAS NO 
TIES TO MR. BIN LADEN WHATSOEVER.  HE WAS SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS
IN NAIROBI ON HIS WAY TO THE UPCOMING NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT SUMMIT
IN SOUTH AFRICA.

MR. ISMAIL SAID IT WAS UNFAIR FOR THE U-S TO BOMB A 
PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY IN SUDAN'S CAPITAL KHARTOUM AUGUST 20TH.  
HE SAID IT WAS NOT MAKING CHEMICAL WEAPONS, AND IT HAD NO 
CONNECTION WITH MR. BIN LADEN, AS ALLEGED BY THE U-S 
ADMINISTRATION.

MR. ISMAIL SUGGESTED THE U-S HAD BEEN MISLED OR MISINFORMED ABOUT
FACTORY'S WORK, AND THAT IT WAS TIME FOR AMERICANS TO KNOW THE 
TRUTH ABOUT THE INCIDENT.

                     // BEGIN ISMAIL ACT //

         I AM SAYING THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.  THE AMERICAN 
         ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN MISLED, MISINFORMED...WE ARE NOT
         CONFRONTING THE UNITED STATES.  WE ARE FOR DIALOGUE AND 
         MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN SUDAN AND THE UNITED 
         STATES.

                         // END ACT ///

MR. ISMAIL SAID THE PHARMACEUTICAL FACTORY MADE MEDICINE TO TREAT
MALARIA, TUBERCULOSIS, AND OTHER ILLNESSES, AND THE BOMBING 
KILLED 12 PEOPLE AND PUT ANOTHER 300 OUT OF WORK.

MR. ISMAIL CALLED AGAIN FOR AN OFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL 
INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT, SAYING SUCH AN INQUIRY WAS STILL
BEING CONSIDERED BY THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL.  BUT HE STRESSED HE
WANTED AMERICA TO JOIN SUCH AN INQUIRY, SAYING SUDAN WAS OPEN TO 
ALL INVESTIGATORS.  HE SAID SUDAN'S PRESIDENT, OMAR EL BASHIR, 
HAD WRITTEN FIVE LETTERS TO U-S PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON CONCERNING
THE ATTACK, BUT HAS RECEIVED NO REPLY.   (SIGNED)

NEB/SLG/DW/RAE

30-Aug-98 12:19 PM EDT (1619 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.