News

DATE=4/3/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247607 TITLE=LOCKERBIE BOMBING SUSPECTS (L-ONLY) BYLINE=LAUREN COMITEAU DATELINE=THE HAGUE CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE UNITED NATION'S CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL, HANS CORELL, IS EN ROUTE TO LIBYA FOR THE HANDOVER OF TWO SUSPECTS CHARGED WITH BLOWING UP PAN AM FLIGHT 103 OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND. MORE THAN A DECADE AFTER THE BOMBING THAT KILLED 270 PEOPLE, THE TWO MEN WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE NETHERLANDS TO STAND TRIAL BEFORE A SCOTTISH COURT. LAUREN COMITEAU HAS MORE FROM THE HAGUE. TEXT: LIBYAN LEADER MUAMMAR GADAFFI HAS UNTIL TUESDAY (APRIL 6) TO MAKE GOOD ON HIS PROMISE TO TURN THE TWO SUSPECTS OVER TO U-N OFFICIALS, WHO WILL THEN FLY THEM TO THE NETHERLANDS FOR TRIAL. BUT THEY'RE EXPECTED HERE BEFORE MONDAY, BEGINNING A JUDICIAL PROCESS THAT'S TAKEN YEARS TO NEGOTIATE. THE U-S AND BRITAIN AGREED LAST YEAR TO ALLOW THE MEN TO BE TRIED IN A NEUTRAL THIRD COUNTRY, A PROPOSAL THAT LIBYA HAD BEEN PUSHING. SO IN AN UNPRECEDENTED LEGAL ARRANGEMENT, THE MEN WILL NOW BE TRIED UNDER SCOTTISH LAW IN THE FORMER U-S MILITARY BASE OF KAMP ZEIST, NEAR THE CITY OF UTRECHT. THERE WON'T BE A JURY, BUT RATHER THREE SCOTTISH JUDGES WHO WILL DETERMINE GUILT OR INNOCENCE. PART OF THE MILITARY BASE HAS BEEN CEDED TO BRITAIN FOR THE DURATION OF THE TRIAL. IT WILL FLY THE UNION JACK AND BE STAFFED WITH SCOTTISH POLICE OFFICERS AND PRISON GUARDS. ONE HUNDRED OF THE GUARDS ARRIVED HERE ON FRIDAY IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SUSPECTS' ARRIVAL. WHEN THEY GET HERE, THEY'LL FIRST HAVE TO BE EXTRADITED TO SCOTLAND. THAT'S A PROCESS THAT COULD TAKE ANYWHERE FROM A WEEK TO SEVERAL MONTHS, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE SUSPECTS FIGHT THE EXTRADITION REQUEST IN THE DUTCH COURTS. ANALYSTS SAY THAT'S NOT LIKELY. BUT ONCE THE MEN ARE ON DUTCH SOIL, U-N SANCTIONS AGAINST LIBYA ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIFTED. THE TRIAL COULD LAST FOR MONTHS, POSSIBLY YEARS, AND IS EXPECTED TO COST SOME 200 MILLION U-S DOLLARS. U-S AND BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THE TWO SUSPECTS PLANTED A BOMB INSIDE A SUITCASE THAT EXPLODED ABOARD PAN AM FLIGHT 103 IN 1988. RELATIVES OF THE VICTIMS SAY THEY'RE RELIEVED THAT THEY'RE FINALLY GETTING CLOSER TO HEARING THAT EVIDENCE IN A COURT OF LAW. (SIGNED) NEB/LC/GE 03-Apr-99 2:52 PM EST (1952 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .