Greece to Try Palestinian; Rejects Extradition to U.S.

Greece will try a Palestinian accused of bombing an American airliner on murder charges, rejecting a U.S. extradition request, the Justice Ministry said today.

A magistrate read four charges against Mohammed Rashid, 34, stemming from a midair bomb blast aboard a Pan American airliner in 1982 in which one person died and 15 were hurt.

The charges, ending more than two years of legal wrangling over whether Rashid would be extradited, were read during a one-hour meeting in his cell in the top security Korydallos prison in Athens.

He was charged with premeditated murder, planting explosives on an airliner, causing an explosion and illegal activity on an airliner, defense lawyer Dafni Vagianou said.

The United States wanted Rashid extradited for the attack on the Pan American airliner, which was flying from Tokyo to Hawaii.

Rashid, who says he is an officer in the Palestine Liberation Organization, was arrested at Athens airport in May, 1988, after a tip by American authorities. He denies involvement in the bombing.

Three Greek governments dodged the decision on extraditing Rashid. The United States warned that failure to hand over the Palestinian would strain relations and guerrilla groups warned of reprisals unless he was freed.

Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis, whose conservative government took power in April and who has worked diligently to improve relations with Washington, rejected a September, 1989, Supreme Court recommendation that Rashid be extradited.

Instead he will be tried under the 1971 Montreal Convention, permitting people charged with terrorist acts against airliners to stand trial in the country holding them.

American officials have said the worst possible decision would be to try Rashid in Greece, which would anger both the United States and guerrilla groups.