DATE= 11/4/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-222169
TITLE=U-S CONGRESS: DEALING WITH TERRORISM
BYLINE=NELSON BROWN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: // CORRECTING NAME TO SKELTON THROUGHOUT //
INTRO: A CONGRESSIONAL PANEL IS REVIEWING HOW U-S AUTHORITIES
ARE PREPARING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE
UNITED STATES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHICH MIGHT INVOLVE THE USE OF
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. FROM WASHINGTON, VOA'S NELSON BROWN
HAS THE STORY.
TEXT: WITH THE TRIAL OF OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING SUSPECT TERRY
NICHOLS NOW UNDERWAY, MANY AMERICANS ARE RE-LIVING THAT DAY IN
1996 WHEN A HUGE BOMB DESTROYED A FEDERAL OFFICE BUILDING IN THAT
MIDWESTERN CITY.
FOR YEARS, MANY PEOPLE LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES BELIEVED
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM WAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO CITIZENS
OF OTHER COUNTRIES. BUT THREE INCIDENTS CHANGED THAT VIEW: THE
1993 BOMBING OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER COMPLEX, IN THE HEART OF
NEW YORK CITY; THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING, IN THE HEARTLAND OF
AMERICA, AND THE 1995 EXPLOSION IN SAUDI ARABIA, WHICH TARGETTED
YOUNG AMERICAN SOLDIERS.
DURING A HEARING TUESDAY, CONGRESSMAN IKE SKELTON SAID ALL THREE
INCIDENTS SHARE IN COMMON ONE UNAVOIDABLE TRUTH.
// SKELTON ACTUALITY //
AMERICANS DIED BRUTALLY, WITHOUT WARNING, UNNECESSARILY,
AND IN A MANNER THAT WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE IMITATED
IN THE FUTURE. IN 1995 AND 1996, ABOUT ONE-FOURTH OF
ALL INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST ACTS WERE AGAINST U-S
TARGETS.
// END ACT //
CONGRESSMAN SKELTON SAID THE NUMBER OF TERORRIST INCIDENTS BOTH
WORLDWIDE AND IN THE UNITED STATES HAS DECLINED IN RECENT YEARS,
BUT THEY HAVE BEEN MORE VIOLENT AND LETHAL.
LEGISLATION ENACTED IN 1996 REQUIRED PRESIDENT CLINTON TO TAKE
IMMEDIATE ACTION TO ADDRESS HOW THE GOVERNMENT CAN BETTER PREPARE
FOR ACTS OF TERRORISM, ESPECIALLY THE POSSIBLE USE OF NUCLEAR,
CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS. AND HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT
HELP STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES RESPOND TO SUCH EMERGENCIES ONCE
THEY OCCUR.
TUESDAY, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN CURT WELDON'S RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE HELD A HEARING TO REVIEW THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE.
// OPT // CONGRESSMAN SKELTON TOLD THE PANEL THAT WHILE THE
BETTER-KNOWN DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AND FEDERAL BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION LEAD THE WAY, MORE THAN 40 DEPARTMENTS, AGENCIES
AND BUREAUS ARE INVOLVED. THUS, HE SAYS, COORDINATION BECOMES A
MAJOR PROBLEM. // END OPT //
// SKELTON ACT //
MANY DIFFERENT FEDERAL AGENCIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
POSSESS EXISTING OR EMERGING CAPABILITIES FOR RESPONDING
TO A WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ATTACK; YET, UNEVEN AND
INCOMPATIBLE LEVELS OF EXPERTISE OFTEN EXIST,
DUPLICATION AND POOR COMMUNICATION MAY COMPLICATE OUR
EFFORT, AND PUBLIC COMPLACENCY, SAD AS IT IS, MAY
THREATEN TO WEAKEN OUR OVER ALL CAPABILITY.
// END ACT //
// OPT // REPRESENTATIVES FROM SEVERAL AGENCIES DESCRIBED
TRAINING AND COORDINATION EFFORTS NATIONWIDE. // OPT //
SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN WELDON WAS CONCERNED ABOUT TRAINING AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE FIRST TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE OF A
DISASTER.
// WELDON OPT ACT //
THERE IS NO TRAINING IN THIS COUNTRY TO RESPOND TO
DISASTERS. TO RESCUE PEOPLE IN BUILDINGS, TO GO INTO A
SUBWAY AND RESCUE PEOPLE OUT OF A SUBWAY SYSTEM THAT HAS
COLLAPSED. THERE'S NO TRAINING FOR THE KIND OF PROBLEMS
THAT ARE REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS THAT RESULT FROM WEAPONS
OF MASS DESTRUCTION OR NATURAL DISASTERS.
// END OPT ACT //
MR. WELDON SAID ELEMENTS OF THE PROBLEM HE DESCRIBED EXISTED
DURING THE PREVIOUS REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION AND THUS HE WAS NOT
JUST POINTING THE FINGER AT PRESIDENT CLINTON.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL JAMES ROBERTS SAID THERE IS A LOT OF
"HANDS-ON" TRAINING ALREADY UNDERWAY, BUT THE CHALLENGE WILL BE
TO FIND HOW TO DO A BETTER JOB. (SIGNED)
NEB/NCB/EH
04-Nov-97 4:37 PM EST (2137 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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