<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99
<SEQUENCE>13
<FILENAME>ex99-9.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EXHIBIT 99(9)
<TEXT>
<Page>


                                                              September 4, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Laura Ulbrandt (212) 460-1900


             LEUCADIA NATIONAL CORPORATION COMMENCES EXCHANGE OFFER
                 FOR SHARES OF WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.

                             WILTEL RECOMMENDS THAT
                   WILTEL STOCKHOLDERS ACCEPT LEUCADIA'S OFFER

Leucadia National Corporation (LUK - NYSE and PCX) and WilTel Communications
Group, Inc. (WTEL - Nasdaq) announced today that, pursuant to their previously
announced merger agreement, Leucadia has commenced an exchange offer for all of
the outstanding shares of WilTel common stock not already owned by Leucadia.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the offer, WilTel stockholders will
receive 0.4242 of a Leucadia common share and one contingent sale right for each
share of WilTel common stock tendered. The exchange offer, if consummated, will
be followed by a merger for the same consideration to WilTel stockholders as
offered in the exchange offer.

The exchange offer is scheduled to expire at 12:00 p.m., New York City time, on
Thursday, October 2, 2003, unless the offer is extended. The terms and
conditions of the offer are described in offer documents being mailed to WilTel
stockholders. Subject to applicable law and the terms of the merger agreement,
Leucadia may extend the offer.

The Board of Directors of WilTel, acting on the recommendation of a special
committee composed of independent directors, recommends that WilTel stockholders
tender their WilTel shares in the offer. A more detailed description of the
special committee and the WilTel Board of Directors' recommendation can be found
in the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 that WilTel filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") today.

WilTel stockholders are urged to read the offer documents and WilTel's
recommendation statement. Copies of these documents may be obtained at no charge
from the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the offer
documents may also be obtained at no charge from Innisfree M&A Incorporated, the
information agent for the offer. WilTel stockholders can call the information
agent toll free at (888) 750-5834 (banks and brokers may call collect at
212-750-5833) with questions relating to the offer.

A registration statement relating to the Leucadia common shares being offered
has been filed with the SEC but has not yet become effective. Such securities
may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the
registration statement becomes effective. This news release shall not constitute
an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any
sale of the Leucadia common shares in any state in which such an offer,
solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or




<Page>


qualification under the securities laws of any such state. The offer may only be
made pursuant to the Offer to Exchange/Prospectus and the accompanying Letter of
Transmittal.

This news release may contain "forward-looking statements" as defined by federal
law. Although Leucadia and WilTel believe any such statements are based on
reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be
materially different. Leucadia and WilTel assume no obligation to update those
statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions and other factors.
The forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected. Additional information that could lead to
material changes in performance is contained in filings with the SEC made by
Leucadia and WilTel.

Leucadia National Corporation is a holding company engaged in a variety of
businesses, including telecommunications (principally through its 47.4% interest
in WilTel), banking and lending (principally through American Investment Bank,
N.A.), manufacturing (through its Plastics Division), real estate activities,
winery operations, development of a copper mine (through its 72.8% interest in
MK Gold Company) and property and casualty reinsurance. Leucadia currently has
equity interests of more than 5% in the following domestic public companies:
AmeriKing, Inc. (6.8%), Carmike Cinemas, Inc. (11%), GFSI Holdings, Inc. (6.9%),
The FINOVA Group, Inc. (indirectly 25% through its interest in Berkadia),
HomeFed Corporation (30.3%), Jackson Products, Inc. (8.8%), Jordan Industries,
Inc. (10.1%), ParkerVision, Inc. (7.3%) and WilTel (47.4%).

WilTel Communications Group, Inc., through its operating subsidiary WilTel
Communications, LLC, provides data, voice and media transport solutions to a
growing carrier-class customer base with complex communications needs. Such
customers include leading global telecommunications and media and entertainment
companies -- companies where bandwidth is either their primary business or a
core component of the products and services they deliver. WilTel's advanced
network infrastructure reaches border-to-border and coast- to-coast with
international connectivity to accommodate global traffic.




</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
