DATE=10/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239950
TITLE=TERROR/SUSPECT PLEA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOE CHAPMAN
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THREE SUSPECTS ENTERED NOT GUILTY PLEAS TODAY (THURSDAY) 
IN NEW YORK TO CHARGES THEY WERE PART OF A TERRORIST CONSPIRACY 
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOMBING OF TWO U-S EMBASSIES IN AFRICA. VOA'S
JOE CHAPMAN REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. 

TEXT:  WADIH EL HAGE, MOHAMED SADDIQ ODEH AND MOHAMMED RASHED 
AL-OWAHALI LISTENED INTENTLY TO U-S DISTRICT JUDGE LEONARD SAND. 
IN A SOFT VOICE, JUDGE SAND ASKED EACH IN TURN TO RAISE THEIR 
RIGHT HANDS IF THEY UNDERSTOOD THE PROCEEDINGS AND THE CHARGES 
AGAINST THEM.

EACH MAN QUICKLY RAISED HIS RIGHT HAND. JUST AS SWIFTLY, EACH 
AGREED TO WAIVE THE READING OF THE NUMEROUS COUNTS IN THEIR 
INDICTMENTS ON CHARGES THAT RANGE FROM PERJURY TO THE MURDER OF 
MORE THAN 265 PERSONS IN THE BOMBING OF U-S EMBASSIES IN KENYA 
AND TANZANIA. 

THEN, ONE AFTER THE OTHER,  EACH MAN STOOD, DRESSED IN PRISON 
ISSUE LIGHT BLUE SHIRTS AND NAVY BLUE PANTS, HELD UP AROUND THEIR
WAISTS BY ELASTIC BANDS. EACH MAN WAS ASKED HOW HE PLEADED TO THE
CHARGES. THE FIRST TWO ANSWERED, "NOT GUILTY," WITH MR. ODEH 
ELABORATING, "NOT GUILTY AT ALL."

TO ONE SIDE,  NEWS MEDIA ARTISTS SKETCHED THE MEN AS THE FIRST 
FORMAL STEPS WERE TAKEN TOWARD A TRIAL. THE THREE MEN, AND 
ANOTHER WHO IS A FUGITIVE, ARE ACCUSED OF WORKING FOR A TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS AL QAEDA, SAID TO BE LED BY A WEALTHY SAUDI
EXILE, OSAMA BIN LADEN. 

THE RELATIVELY BRIEF PROCEEDING BEFORE JUDGE SAND WAS AN EARLY 
PROCEDURAL STEP AS THE CASE MAKES ITS WAY TO TRIAL. JUDGE SAND 
SET A NOVEMBER 10TH DATE FOR WHAT IS KNOWN AS A STATUS 
CONFERENCE. A TRIAL DATE COULD BE SET THEN. 

DESPITE THE LOW KEY NATURE OF THE PROCEEDINGS, THERE WERE A FEW 
MOMENTS OF QUIET DRAMA.  PATRICK KENNEDY, THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR IN
THE CASE, TOLD THE COURT IN RESPONSE TO A DEFENSE ATTORNEY'S 
QUESTION THAT PROSECUTORS WILL "SERIOUSLY CONSIDER" ASKING FOR 
THE DEATH PENALTY IF THE MEN ARE CONVICTED. 

MR. KENNEDY SAID A DECISION ON WHETHER TO ASK FOR THE DEATH 
PENALTY MAY TAKE SOME TIME. BUT THAT AND OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE 
STILL ONLY PROCEDURAL QUESTIONS COULD BE RESOLVED AT THE STATUS 
CONFERENCE.

OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM,  IN A STATEMENT BEFORE THE MEN APPEARED IN
JUDGE SAND'S COURT,  U-S ATTORNEY MARY JO WHITE DESCRIBED THE 
CASE AGAINST THE THREE MEN, NOT IN PROCEDURAL TERMS, BUT AS THE 
FIRST STEP TOWARD JUSTICE FOR ALL THE EMBASSY BOMBING VICTIMS, 
BOTH AMERICANS AND CITIZENS OF KENYA AND TANZANIA. (SIGNED)  

NEB/NY/JMC/LSF/WFR

08-Oct-98 4:40 PM EDT (2040 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.