al-Sayegh

October 8, 1999
Web posted at: 3:51 a.m. EDT (0751 GMT)

From correspondent Terry Frieden at the Justice Department

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Saudi dissident faces trial and a possible death sentence in Saudi Arabia, after a federal appeals court rejected an 11th hour effort to block his extradition. The dissident is believed involved in the Khobar Towers bombing.

The order from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta on Thursday denied, without comment, an emergency motion for a stay of deportation, clearing the way for Hani El-Sayegh to be flown to Riyadh, where authorities may try him for crimes that could result in his execution.

Authorities began final preparations for the removal.

"It's possible we're talking a matter of days", said a Justice Department official, requesting anonymity.

El-Sayegh's attorney Ivan Yacub tells CNN he will consult with his client about a possible final appeal. A Justice Department official indicated the government is satified the courts have already spoken on the issue.

El-Sayegh remains in INS custody in a federal prison in Atlanta.

The ruling late Thursday followed a similar decision by a three-judge panel in Washington Wednesday night supporting the government's arguments that the court lacked jurisdiction to consider El-Sayegh's emergency motion.

Some authorities believe El-Sayegh was involved in the 1996 bombing of the U.S. military complex in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 U.S. servicemen. Lacking sufficient proof for prosecution, U.S. officials decided to deport him to Saudi Arabia.

At her weekly news briefing Thursday, Attorney General Janet Reno acknowledged that El-Sayegh could face the death penalty if he is sent back, but she insisted the Saudis will not torture him.

"We have received assurances -- formal assurances -- from the Saudi government that it would fulfill its responsibilities under the torture convention," Reno said.

U.S courts earlier denied El-Sayegh's asylum requests to remain in the United States. He had agreed to cooperate with FBI agents investigating the bombing, but later reneged on his agreement.

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