DATE=1/8/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-225006

TITLE=YOUSEF SENTENCING (L) -- UPDATE

BYLINE=MAX RUSTON

DATELINE=NEW YORK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



              /// EDS:  TWO ACTUALITIES ADDED. ///



INTRO:  THE MAN CONVICTED OF MASTERMINDING THE 1993 BOMBING OF 

NEW YORK'S WORLD TRADE CENTER WAS TODAY (THURSDAY) SENTENCED TO 

LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT ANY CHANCE OF PAROLE.  V-O-A'S MAX RUSTON 

REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.



TEXT:  DURING THE HOUR-LONG SENTENCING, JUDGE KEVIN DUFFY 

DESCRIBED RAMZI YOUSEF AS A COWARD AND A MAN WHO WORSHIPS DEATH. 

HE SENTENCED YOUSEF TO MORE THAN 240 YEARS IN PRISON, 

RECOMMENDING THE TERM BE SERVED IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.  HE 

ORDERED YOUSEF TO PAY 250 MILLION DOLLARS IN RESTITUTION TO THE 

FAMILIES OF THOSE KILLED AND MAIMED IN THE 1993 WORLD TRADE 

CENTER BOMBING.  JUDGE DUFFY COMPARED YOUSEF TO A TERRIBLE VIRUS 

THAT WOULD CAUSE PLAGUE AND PESTILENCE AROUND THE WORLD IF SET 

FREE.



U-S ATTORNEY MARY-JO WHITE WELCOMED THE SENTENCE.



                        /// WHITE ACT ///



         THE HEINOUSNESS OF RAMZI YOUSEF'S CRIMES ARE WITHOUT 

         PARALLEL AND CLEARLY DESERVING OF THE SENTENCES IMPOSED 

         TODAY BY JUDGE DUFFY.



                         /// END ACT ///



YOUSEF WAS CONVICTED IN NOVEMBER OF MASTERMINDING THE BOMBING, 

WHICH KILLED SIX PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND.  



BEFORE THE SENTENCING, YOUSEF, WHO IS OF MIDDLE EAST ORIGIN, 

ADMITTED TO BEING A TERRORIST, SAYING HE WAS PROUD TO FIGHT ANY 

COUNTRY THAT SUPPORTS ISRAEL.  HE CHARGED THAT THE UNITED STATES 

SUPPORTS TERRORISM AGAINST PALESTINIANS.



YOUSEF'S LAWYER, ROY KULCSAR, SAID THE REMARKS WERE CONSISTENT 

WITH YOUSEF'S EARLIER STATEMENTS.



                       /// KULCSAR ACT ///



         I DO NOT THINK IT IS VERY DISSIMILAR IN TONE OR STYLE OF

         WHAT HE INITIALLY SAID AFTER HE HAD BEEN HERE FOR A 

         WHILE IN TERMS OF HIS POLITICAL BELIEFS AND PERSONAL 

         BELIEFS, SO I DO NOT THINK I AM SURPRISED BY ANYTHING HE

         SAID IN THAT REGARD.



                         /// END ACT ///



JUDGE DUFFY RESPONDED TO YOUSEF BY READING PASSAGES FROM THE HOLY

BOOK OF ISLAM, THE KORAN.  HE SAID THE PASSAGES SHOWED YOUSEF 

ACTED OUT OF HIS OWN SELF INTEREST, NOT IN THE INTERESTS OF 

ISLAM.



YOUSEF IS THE FIFTH PERSON SENTENCED IN CONNECTION WITH THE WORLD

TRADE CENTER BOMBING.  A SIXTH MAN, CONVICTED IN NOVEMBER, IS 

SCHEDULED FOR SENTENCING NEXT MONTH.  AUTHORITIES ARE CONTINUING 

THEIR SEARCH FOR A SEVENTH MAN, ABDUL RAHMAN YASIN, WHO IS ALSO 

SUSPECTED OF INVOLVEMENT IN THE BOMBING.



                      /// REST OPTIONAL ///



JUDGE DUFFY DESCRIBED YOUSEF AS SMART, AND BLAMED HIM FOR 

CONVERTING OTHER PEOPLE TO SUPPORT TERRORIST ACTS.  CALLING 

YOUSEF AN APOSTLE OF EVIL, JUDGE DUFFY SAID HE WAS CERTAIN YOUSEF

WOULD COMMIT FURTHER TERRORIST ACTS IF GIVEN THE CHANCE.



THE SENTENCING IN NEW YORK DEALT WITH TWO SEPARATE CONVICTIONS ..

THE WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING AND A PLOT TO BLOW UP U-S 

AIRLINERS OVER ASIA.  IN PREPARING THE PLOT TO BLOW UP AIRLINERS,

YOUSEF SET OFF AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE ON AN AIRPLANE IN 1994 IN THE 

PHILIPPINES, KILLING A JAPANESE BUSINESSMAN.  (SIGNED)



NEB/NY/MPR/LSF/PT



08-Jan-98 3:56 PM EST (2056 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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