Jordanian Arraigned in London Bomb Plot; Kin Held in Berlin

Amid tight security, a Jordanian national was arraigned Tuesday on murder conspiracy charges in connection with a plot to blow up an Israeli jumbo jet by smuggling a bomb aboard in the hand luggage of his pregnant Irish girlfriend.

Nezar Hindawi, 31, said by acquaintances to be from a prominent Jordanian family, was formally charged late Monday with conspiring to kill the woman who carried the bomb, 32-year-old Anne-Marie Murphy. He was also accused of attempting to endanger an aircraft.

The charges came as police in West Berlin announced that Hindawi’s older brother, Ahmed Nawaf Mansour Hasi, had been detained by West Berlin police in connection with the April 5 bombing of a discotheque crowded with American servicemen.

It was that attack--which claimed the life of one U.S. soldier and a Turkish woman and injured more than 200--that apparently triggered the decision that led to last week’s raid against terrorist targets in Libya.

West Berlin authorities said they believe Hasi may have played a role in the bombing, but was not the main suspect. They offered no explanation for the different last names.

In London, his brother was driven the few miles from central police headquarters to a south London magistrates court in an armed convoy after a two-hour-long search of the area in and around the courtroom.

A car parked in the area of the court with a briefcase left inside was first investigated by police and, when the owner could not quickly be found, the vehicle was blown up with a controlled explosive.

Hindawi’s appearance in court lasted only 18 minutes. His lawyer applied for bail, but it was was refused, and Hindawi was ordered jailed pending another hearing May 1. Those in the courtroom said he seemed nervous and confused by the proceedings.

Murphy had passed through all three main security checks at London’s Heathrow Airport last Thursday and was about to board an El Al Israel Airlines flight to Tel Aviv when the bomb was discovered by an alert member of El Al’s own security staff.

Police believe the bomb almost certainly would have killed Murphy and the other 387 people aboard the plane.

Released After Questioning

Murphy was released Saturday after intensive questioning, apparently in the belief that she had no knowledge of the bomb. She reportedly remains under heavy police protection at an undisclosed location in London.

In West Berlin, law enforcement officials indicated that Hindawi’s 35-year-old brother was arrested Friday on a tip from London police. Hindawi was arrested at a small West London hotel Friday morning after a 36-hour manhunt.

West Berlin authorities stressed that Hasi is being held as a suspected accomplice in the discotheque bombing.

‘Suspected of Helping’

“The arrest warrant doesn’t say that he was the main culprit. . . ,” West Berlin Justice Ministry spokesman Volker Kaehne told the Associated Press. “It says he is suspected of helping with the crime.”