A Case of Dumb Luck

• Share

(3 of 5)

Shortly after the arrest, the world learned that Salameh would be brought into court that night for a "presentment," a proceeding similar to arraignment. The White House had been closely watching the case, and George Stephanopoulos, President Clinton's communications director, had taken the unusual step of confirming that an arrest had been made. He also promised that FBI director William Sessions and acting Attorney General Stuart Gerson would have something to say about the case at a Thursday afternoon news conference. In fact, they annoyed reporters by insisting that they could not make any comment pending the court appearance that night, which only heightened the drama.

About 7:45 p.m. -- two hours late -- Salameh, in handcuffs, was led by marshals into the jammed Manhattan federal district court of Judge Richard Owen. Salameh was a slight, dark-skinned man about 5 ft. 8 in. tall, with close-cropped dark hair and beard, dressed in sneakers and a light gray sweat suit that billowed around him. Federal authorities in Washington later disclosed some basic information about the suspect. He is 25 years old, an Arab who was born on the West Bank but grew up in Jordan. He entered the U.S. in 1987 with a five-year visa and remained in the country illegally. New York police commissioner Raymond Kelly later said that Salameh was "not unknown" to his department, and an FBI official in Washington confirmed that Salameh's name had turned up in a search of the bureau's files on suspected terrorists, though obviously before last week the FBI had not had information enough to make an arrest.

Through his court-appointed attorney, Robert Precht, who had just met his client, Salameh requested an Arabic interpreter. Judge Owen assigned one from the FBI, who leaned close to Salameh's ear as the judge read the charge: the suspect had aided and abetted the Trade Center bombing, and thus helped kill five people, violating a federal antiterrorism statute for which the death penalty could be imposed. The wording of the charge was somewhat general because, says Fox, the FBI does not yet know what Salameh's exact role was -- whether he was the actual bomber, a minor figure in a terrorist plot or something in between.

The accused man requested bail. He said he could line up 10 people who would offer $50,000 cash, enough to secure a $5 million bond -- an odd assertion for a suspect who had been feverishly trying to get $400 back from Ryder. But declaring Salameh a "serious risk," Judge Owen ordered the suspect held without bail for a preliminary hearing March 18. Salameh later told his attorney he was innocent and believed he was being persecuted for his religious beliefs. Precht says his client has requested a copy of the Koran, a watch so he can pray at the proper times and a change in his feeding schedule so that he can observe ritual daytime fasting for Ramadan. Salameh also asked the lawyer to contact his father, who is still in Jordan.