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DATE=11/4/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-241204 TITLE=BIN LADEN INDICTED (S & L) BYLINE=ELAINE JOHANSON DATELINE=NEW YORK CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: U-S AUTHORITIES IN NEW YORK TODAY (WEDNESDAY) CHARGED SAUDI MILLIONAIRE OSAMA BIN LADEN -- AND HIS TOP AIDE -- WITH 224 COUNTS OF MURDER IN THE AUGUST BOMBINGS OF THE U-S EMBASSIES IN KENYA AND TANZANIA, AND OFFERED A HUGE REWARD FOR THEIR CAPTURE. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS: TEXT: THREE SUSPECTS HAD ALREADY BEEN CHARGED IN THE EMBASSY BOMBINGS. THIS LATEST INDICTMENT IS CONSIDERED THE BIG ONE. OSAMA BIN LADEN IS THE ALLEGED MASTERMIND AND FINANCIER OF THE ATTACKS IN AFRICA. HE IS ALSO CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO MURDER AMERICANS -- A REFERENCE TO HIS ALLEGED LEADERSHIP OF THE TERRORIST GROUP "AL-QAEDA." U-S AUTHORITIES HAVE LINKED MR. BIN LADEN TO TERRORIST ACTIVITIES OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, INCLUDING TARGETING AMERICAN SOLDIERS SERVING WITH A U-N OPERATION IN SOMALIA. THESE NEW CHARGES LINK MR. BIN LADEN DIRECTLY TO THE AUGUST EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN AFRICA. //BEGIN OPT// U-S ATTORNEY MARY JO WHITE ANNOUNCED THE CHARGES: //WHITE ACT// THE INDICTMENT CHARGES OSAMA BIN LADEN, THE ALLEGED EMIR OR LEADER OF THE INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATION AL-QAEDA, AND MOHAMED ATEF -- THE ALLEGED MILITARY COMMANDER OF AL-QAEDA -- WITH MURDERING AT LEAST 224 CIVILIANS IN THE BOMBINGS OF THE U-S EMBASSIES ON AUGUST 7, 1998 IN NAIROBI, KENYA AND DAR ES-SALAAM, TANZANIA. //END OPT ACT// OSAMA BIN LADEN REMAINS A FUGITIVE. SOME BELIEVE HE MAY BE IN AFGHANISTAN. THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT HAS OFFERED A FIVE MILLION DOLLAR REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO HIS ARREST. //REST OPT// U-S ATTORNEY MARY JO WHITE CALLS THE AUGUST ATTACKS THE MOST HEINOUS ACTS OF VIOLENCE EVER COMMITTED AGAINST U-S DIPLOMATIC POSTS. SHE SIGNALED THERE MAY BE MORE SUSPECTS IN THE TERROR NETWORK AND MORE INDICTMENTS TO COME: //WHITE ACT// THIS INVESTIGATION IS NOT ONLY ONE THAT IS CONTINUING AND WORLD-WIDE, BUT ONE THAT WE EXPECT TO CONTINUE FOR QUITE SOME TIME UNTIL ALL OTHERS ARE CHARGED. //END ACT// OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS MILITARY COMMANDER FACE LIFE IN PRISON IF CONVICTED, OR POSSIBLY A DEATH SENTENCE. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/EJ/LSF/JO 04-Nov-98 4:51 PM EST (2151 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .