Stanley Brezenoff, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, right testifies at House
subcommittee hearing on World Trade Center bombing. At left is New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly.
Elgabrown
, y
By William Sposato
Reuter
NEW YORK, March 9-The investigation into the
bombing of the World Trade Center is focusing more
closely on the two men already charged in the case and
their ties to a prisoner who was jailed on charges stem-
ming from the 1990 killing of Rabbi Meir Kahane, in-
vestigators and news reports said today.
Mohammed A. Salameh is charged with taking part in
the Feb. 26 bombing that killed five people and injured
more than 1,000. He rented the van believed used to
deliver the bomb to the underground garage of the low-
er Manhattan landmark.
Ibrahim Elgabrowny, arrested for scuffling with au-
thorities as they searched his apartment, also has been
called a suspect in the case by prosecutors.
The two are known to have ties to Sayyid A. Nosair,
who is in prison on charges stemming from the killing of
Kahane in New York. Nosair was convicted of gun pos-
session and assault in the case, but cleared of murder
charges.
The New York Times reported today that Salameh
and Elgabrowny are now thought to be pivotal figures in
the case.
In Washington, FBI Director William S. Sessions said
'@oday that the bombing should not be seen as an indi-
N6n of a coming wave of terrorist acts.
,the American vublic should alwavs be vimilant. but
Investigation
Observers at Nosair's 1991 trial said th,
was among those who regularly attended and
newspapers today showed pictures of N
someone who appeared to be Salameh.
Prison authorities said today that Nosair
the investigation, although his possible rol
disclosed.
According to news reports, Nosair's cell
prison in upstate New York has been searcl
documents connected with the bombing.
Officials say Salameh and Elgabrowny hav(
fundamentalist Muslim group whose spiritua
Omar Abdul Rahman.
Abdul Rahman has said repeatedly that ht
ing to do with the bombing. "I do not condoi
incite such acts of violence," he said in a st@
sued by his lawyer.
At the same time, investigators are also 1(
whether the bombing, involved Middle Eas
groups.
James Fox, New York head of the FBI, told Reuter
that he believed those responsible for the blast were
part of an organized operation.
"They may just be an ad hoc group, but my gut feel-
ing tells me it's not the case," Fox said in the interview.
"We're looking pretty closely at a possible link between
these guys and the old-line terrorist groups."
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