MUBARAK SAYS U.S. FAILED TO HEED ISLAMIC WARNINGS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, April 5, 1993                   TAG: 9304050094
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium
MUBARAK SAYS U.S. FAILED TO HEED ISLAMIC WARNINGS
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Sunday that the United States could have prevented the bombing of the World Trade Center if American officials had heeded his country's warnings about an Islamic fundamentalist network in the United States.
But he suggested that the information provided by Egypt related generally to activities by individuals in the United States, not that Egypt had passed on specific information foreshadowing the bombing.
Mubarak called on the new administration to take a more active role in stemming international terrorism, particularly activities inspired by Islamic fundamentalist groups.
He blamed the current violence in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East in part on Iran and in part on veterans who fought with Afghan guerrillas as part of the American-backed war against the Soviet-backed communist government in Kabul.
He offered new details about the background of Mahmud Abohalima, a suspect in the World Trade Center bombing who was captured in Egypt and flown back to the United States two weeks ago.
Mubarak disclosed that the suspect said during his interrogation by the Egyptian authorities that he had quarreled with Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, an Egyptian fundamentalist cleric for whom he served as a driver and aide.
In an hour-long interview, a day after his arrival in Washington, Mubarak also said he would ask President Clinton when they met for the first time on Tuesday to urge Israel to make another gesture to help resolve the problem of the 400 Palestinians deported to Lebanon in December.
But Mubarak's most surprising remarks concerned the bombing. "It could have been prevented if you listened to our advice," he said. Asked whether the United States had been given clear information about the activities of individuals and specific mosques, he added: "That's right. And this information has been exchanged with American intelligence."

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB