FBI Director Louis J. Freeh today
issued the following statement:
I am extremely pleased with the
verdict rendered in the trial of four individuals associated
with the senseless and cowardly 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassies
in Kenya and Tanzania. The jury members diligently considered
a great amount of testimony and related evidence and returned
a just and appropriate verdict.
The verdict represents a significant
development in a massive investigation that involved the deployment
of personnel from 38 of the 56 FBI field offices to East Africa.
Through skill and perseverance, FBI personnel overcame major
logistical challenges, which are inherent to crime scenes located
in foreign countries, to conduct a thorough investigation that
led to the verdict rendered today. The investigation will continue
as 13 of the 22 defendants in this matter, including Osama Bin
Laden, remain as fugitives.
The FBI commends the Kenyan and
Tanzanian governments and their law enforcement officials for
their important, continuing cooperation with this complex investigation.
The FBI's active investigation of this crime could not have
been maintained without the superb assistance of the Kenyan and
Tanzanian governments and law enforcement officials.
I also wish to express my sincere
thanks to the governments of Morocco, Pakistan, Germany, the
United Kingdom, and others for their invaluable assistance during
this massive investigation. The liaison and investigative efforts
by the personnel of over 20 FBI Legal Attache offices, who were
closely involved with this matter from the outset, also have
my highest praise.
The New York United States Attorney's
Office headed by Mary Jo White and the entire prosecution team
of Assistant United States Attorneys Pat Fitzgerald, Ken Karas,
Mike Garcia, and Paul Butler have my congratulations for the
verdict and thanks for their devotion and commitment to the prosecution
of these terrorists. The Special Agents of the New York Field
Office who worked closely with the prosecution team are to be
highly commended for their exhaustive efforts.
The FBI shares the sorrow of
the families of the 12 American and 200 Kenyan and Tanzanian
citizens killed in the bombings. The continued patience exhibited
by these brave families during the investigative process is greatly
appreciated as the FBI and its foreign law enforcement partners
continue to address this matter.
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