DATE=1/21/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=NEW INDICTMENTS AGAINST ALGERIANS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258300
BYLINE=MIKE O'SULLIVAN
DATELINE=LOS ANGELES
CONTENT=



VOICED AT:

INTRO:  U-S officials in (the northwestern city of) 
Seattle have filed new charges against two Algerian 
men, implicated in a bombing plot.  From our West 
Coast Bureau, Mike O'Sullivan reports the nine-count 
indictment charges the men planned to blow up 
buildings and other U-S targets.

TEXT: The charges filed in Seattle Thursday accuse the 
men -- Ahmed Ressam and Abdelmajid Dahoumane (d'uh-
MAHN-ay) -- of a plot that authorities say was in 
place for at least one year.  The indictments say the 
pair "conspired to destroy or damage" buildings and 
other targets.

Mr. Ressam remains in custody on earlier charges of 
smuggling and possession of explosives.  He was 
arrested December 14th at Port Angeles, Washington, 
after arriving on a ferry from Canada.  Officials say 
the trunk of his rented car contained explosives and 
timing devices.

His alleged accomplice, Abdelmajid Dahoumane, remains 
at large.  Authorities say the two men shared a motel 
room in Vancouver, Canada, for nearly one month before 
Mr. Ressam crossed over the U-S border, bound for 
Seattle.  From there, he had a plane reservation for 
London. 

Each of the new charges against the two men carries a 
possible sentence of between 20 and 25 years in 
prison.

Meanwhile, another Algerian man, Abdel Ghani Meskini, 
pleaded innocent Thursday in New York on charges of 
giving support to Mr. Ressam.  Mr. Meskini and a 
fourth Algerian national, Mokhtar Haouari (ho-WAHR-
ee), were earlier indicted in New York on charges of 
providing support to terrorists. /// OPT /// Mr. 
Haouari is in prison in Canada, where he awaits a 
hearing March 15th for extradition to the United 
States.  Thursday, a judge denied his release on bail. 
/// END OPT ///

U-S and Canadian investigators say at least six 
Algerian nationals and a Canadian woman, who is 
married to an Algerian, are under investigation -- 
including the four specifically charged with 
involvement or support of terrorism.  The three others 
are charged with using false identification or other 
violations of immigration law.

Canadian investigators say the network was based in 
Montreal, and has links to terrorist groups in Algeria 
and France.  (Signed)

NEB/MO/JO



21-Jan-2000 14:35 PM EDT (21-Jan-2000 1935 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.