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DATE=4/5/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247639 TITLE=LIBYA / LOCKERBIE HANDOVER (L) BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TWO LIBYAN SUSPECTS WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOCKERBIE BOMBING CASE HAVE BEEN HANDED OVER TO U-N OFFICIALS AND WILL FACE TRIAL IN THE NETHERLANDS. CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST BUREAU. TEXT: THE TWO SUSPECTS, ABDEL BASSET ALI AL-MEGRAHI AND LAMIN KHALIFA FAHIMA, SURRENDERED TO SENIOR U-N OFFICIALS AT A CEREMONY ATTENDED BY DELEGATES FROM SOUTH AFRICA, SAUDI ARABIA, EGYPT, AND THE ARAB LEAGUE. // AL-MEGRAHI ACT - IN ARABIC - FADE UNDER /// APPEARING ON LIBYAN TELEVISION MONITORED IN CAIRO, MR. AL-MEGRAHI SAID THEY WERE LEAVING OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL BECAUSE THEY ARE CONFIDENT OF THEIR INNOCENCE. HE SAID HE HOPES THAT AFTER THEY HAVE PROVEN THEIR INNOCENCE, THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO RETURN HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. LIBYAN FOREIGN MINISTER OMAR AL-MONTASSER SAID LIBYA WAS CONFIDENT IN THE FAIRNESS OF ITS CASE AND THE INNOCENCE OF THE SUSPECTS. HE SAID HE HOPES THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY APPRECIATES WHAT HE CALLED THE CIVILIZED POSITION LIBYA HAS TAKEN. THE TWO SUSPECTS ARE ACCUSED OF PLANTING THE BOMB THAT EXPLODED IN AN AMERICAN JUMBO JET 10-YEARS AGO, KILLING 270 PEOPLE. THEY WERE INDICTED IN 1991. BUT LIBYA REFUSED TO HAND THEM OVER, SAYING IT FEARED THEY WOULD NOT RECEIVE A FAIR TRIAL IN BRITAIN OR THE UNITED STATES, WHICH HAVE JURISDICTION. AS A RESULT, SANCTIONS, INCLUDING A BAN ON LIBYAN AIR TRAVEL AND INVESTMENT IN LIBYA'S OIL SECTOR, WERE IMPOSED BEGINNING THE FOLLOWING YEAR. THE VARIOUS PARTIES AGREED LAST AUGUST TO ALLOW THE SUSPECTS TO BE TRIED IN THE NETHERLANDS, A NEUTRAL COUNTRY, USING SCOTTISH JUDGES. BUT THE HANDOVER WAS DELAYED AS LIBYA SOUGHT FURTHER ASSURANCES. THE HANDOVER WAS ANNOUNCED TWO-WEEKS AGO FOLLOWING A MEDIATION EFFORT BY SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA AND SAUDI CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH. /// REST OPT /// UNDER THE AGREEMENT, THE SUSPECTS ARE TO BE HELD AND EVENTUALLY TRIED AT A VACANT AIR BASE. THE NETHERLANDS IS TO TEMPORARILY TRANSFER THE BASE TO BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY. THE ACCUSED ARE THEN TO BE FORMALLY EXTRADITED FOR THE TRIAL. IF CONVICTED, THEY ARE TO SERVE THEIR TERMS IN A SCOTTISH PRISON. THE U-S AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS HOPE THE SURRENDER OF THE SUSPECTS WILL BRING JUSTICE TO A MAJOR CASE OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. LIBYA HOPES THE COMPROMISE WILL END ITS DIPLOMATIC ISOLATION AND ALLOW A RESUMPTION OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT. THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS OF THE BOMBING SAY THEY HOPE THE TRIAL WILL BRING CLOSURE TO A DECADE OF PAIN AND UNCERTAINTY. (SIGNED) NEB/SB/RAE 05-Apr-99 10:05 AM EDT (1405 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .