Trial of Bin Laden aides begins in N.Y.

WASHINGTON Ñ The trial of suspected aides of Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden is set to begin in New York.

A federal judge in Manhattan on Wednesday began jury selection in the trial of suspected Bin Laden aides accused of participating in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in eastern Africa. If convicted, at least two of the four defendants could be sentenced to death.

The defendants are Wadih El-Hage, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Lebanon; Mohamed Rashed Daoud Al-'Owali, a Saudi national; Khalfan Khamis Mohamed, a Tanzanian national, and Mohamed Sadeek Odeh, a Jordanian national.

Another defendant is Mamdouh Mahmud Salim, who was indicted on Dec. 20 on an additional charge of attempted murder. Salim critically injured a prison guard in a foiled break-out attempt and he will be tried separately.

The jurors will be selected out of about 1,500 applicants. The trial is expected to last until the end of the year.

In all, more than 20 defendants were indicted on a conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals abroad. Thirteen of those indicted, including Bin Laden, remain fugitives. Three of them are in the process of being extradited from Britain.

Another two suspected aides of Bin Laden are also awaiting trial in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on charges of bringing explosives into the United States.