Local prosecutors want accused arsonist returned to New York - Uthman, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Venezuela of Palestinian parents, is accused of breaking into the Temple Beth El late on the night of Oct. 13, 2000, and using gasoline to start a fire in an area of the building he apparently believed was used for worship.

www.newsday.com March 17, 2003, 3:38 PM EST

EDs: ADDs new grafs 4-5 with prosecutor's comment on extradition time frame wkfonsyr

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) _ Authorities in New York were seeking the return Monday of a 29-year-old man arrested in California on a warrant accusing him of the October 2000 arson at a Syracuse synagogue.

Ramses Uthman, formerly of Syracuse, was arrested near North Hollywood, Calif., on Friday, culminating a two-year investigation.

Onondaga County Assistant District Attorney Rick Trunfio said local authorities were waiting to see whether Uthman would contest his extradition back to New York to face charges of arson, burglary, criminal mischief and four counts of committing a hate crime.

If Uthman waives his extradition rights, he would likely be returned to New York within a week, Trunfio said. If Uthman contests his return to New York and insists on a hearing, it could be months before he is brought back, he said.

Prosecutors were trying to schedule court time Tuesday before a Los Angeles Municipal Court judge to consider Uthman's extradition, Trunfio said.

Uthman, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Venezuela of Palestinian parents, is accused of breaking into the Temple Beth El late on the night of Oct. 13, 2000, and using gasoline to start a fire in an area of the building he apparently believed was used for worship.

The fire heavily damaged a first-floor business office in the back of the building and an office above that was used by the Montessori Learning Center. The blaze caused about $700,000 in damage. No injuries were reported.

First U.S. Assistant Attorney Joseph Pavone said Monday that federal officials will await the outcome of the state case against Uthman before deciding whether to pursue a federal prosecution of the accused arsonist as well.

If convicted of the most serious state charges, Uthman could face up to 25 years in prison. He could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted of a federal hate crime in the temple fire, Pavone said.

District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said at a news conference Sunday that authorities spent two years looking for Uthman in Michigan, Florida and California.

Uthman evaded authorities by using a number of aliases, different passports and numerous addresses to stymie his trackers. Witnesses also were reluctant to cooperate early on because they were "quite fearful" of Uthman, Fitzpatrick said.

Authorities got a break in the case in November when they learned that Uthman had been treated at a hospital in Dearborn, Mich., for burns he reportedly suffered in the temple fire, Fitzpatrick said.

Further progress in the case was made last month when an unindicted co-defendant began cooperating with authorities, providing information about how and why the temple was set ablaze, Fitzpatrick said.

Uthman has a lengthy local criminal record, but officials said they were not aware of any prior hate crime incidents. There was no evidence to link the temple arson to any wider plot, said Fitzpatrick, but the investigation by state and federal officials was continuing.

The co-defendant will face charges at a later date, Fitzpatrick said. Authorities declined to release his name, however, The Post-Standard of Syracuse said police records identified him as Ahed Shehadeh and said he drove Uthman to and from the synagogue.

Shehadeh, 29, formerly of Syracuse, is serving a 2- to 4-year prison term in Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County on an unrelated burglary conviction.