Trial commences in bombing of U.S. embassies

NEW YORK - Four men went on trial yesterday in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa, with prosecutors portraying the deadly blasts as part of a worldwide plot designed by terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden to kill Americans.

"The story that's about to unfold before you is long, complicated and chilling," prosecutor Paul Butler said in his opening statement.

Staring and pointing at each defendant, Butler said the men contributed to bin Laden's decade-long terrorism spree aimed at weakening or overthrowing governments he dislikes.

"They each helped the best way they could and in the end 224 men, women and children died, and Kenya, Tanzania and America would never be the same," he said. "For that we seek justice."

The Aug. 7, 1998, bombings in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were nearly simultaneous. Thousands of people were injured, and 12 Americans were among the dead.

Defense lawyers acknowledged the scope of the tragedy but said their clients were being prosecuted unfairly for being associated with bin Laden or his organization, al Qaeda.