DATE=2/20/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-39041
TITLE=SUBWAY TERROR
BYLINE=ELAINE JOHANSON
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE SPECTER OF TERROR ON NEW YORK CITY SUBWAYS EMERGED
THIS WEEK AFTER UNITED STATES LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARRESTED
TWO MEN (IN NEVADA) FOR POSSESSION OF DEADLY BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL.
IT WAS INITIALLY REPORTED THAT NEW YORK WAS ON THEIR TARGET LIST.
THE REPORT WAS FALSE. BUT BAD MEMORIES OF THE 1993 BOMBING OF
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER HAVE SPURRED A NEW SURGE OF INTEREST IN
SECURITY. VOA CORRESPONDENT ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS FROM NEW
YORK:
TEXT: NEW YORK CITY SUBWAYS ARE REBOUNDING FROM YEARS OF BAD
PRESS AND, FRANKLY, BAD SERVICE. THE VAST SYSTEM IS SAID TO HAVE
DRAWN OVER ONE BILLION RIDERS LAST YEAR -- THE MOST IN 25 YEARS.
THE TRAINS SEEM CLEANER. THE SCHEDULE -- MORE ACCOMMODATING.
SUBWAY CRIME IS REPORTED DOWN.
SO, IT WAS WITH SOME TREPIDATION THAT NEW YORK SUBWAY RIDERS
HEARD ABOUT A POSSIBLE BACTERIAL ATTACK. MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI
QUICKLY DISPELLED THE RUMORS. BUT HE CONCEDED NO ONE IS TREATING
LIGHTLY -- EVEN A FALSE REPORT -- OF POTENTIAL BIOLOGICAL
TERRORISM DIRECTED AT THOUSANDS OF UNDERGROUND NEW YORK
COMMUTERS.
JERRY HAUER -- WHO RUNS NEW YORK'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
-- SAYS OFFICIALS AND EXPERTS HAVE PRACTICED LIFESAVING
PROCEDURES COUNTLESS TIMES:
//HAUER ACT//
IT'S NOT A RED-LIGHTS AND SIRENS RESPONSE. WITH MOST
BIOLOGICAL AGENTS YOU REALLY WOULDN'T KNOW UNTIL AFTER
THE RELEASE. SO YOU HAVE A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO
IDENTIFY IT AND THEN DEAL WITH IT. AND THAT WOULD BE
DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE AGENT ANYWHERE FROM ONE
TO SIX OR SEVEN DAYS. SO WE'VE ADDRESSED THAT AND WE
CONTINUE TO TEST IT...AND I'M VERY COMFORTABLE THAT NEW
YORK IS VERY WELL PREPARED FOR THESE KINDS OF INCIDENTS.
//END ACT//
SECURITY EXPERT ROBERT CASTELLI OF NEW YORK'S JOHN JAY COLLEGE
AGREES NEW YORK CITY IS AS PREPARED AS ANY MAJOR CITY CAN BE,
MAYBE EVEN MORE THAN MOST. BUT HE CAUTIONS AGAINST
OVER-CONFIDENCE:
//CASTELLI ACT//
BASED UPON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING, WE IN NEW
YORK AND THE UNITED STATES GOT A WAKE-UP CALL AND AS A
RESULT OF WHICH MAYOR GIULIANI AND HIS ADMINISTRATION
TOOK THE NECESSARY STEPS TO BEEF UP (IMPROVE) OUR
SECURITY. HAVING SAID THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY CITY
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AS MASSIVE AS THAT WHICH EXISTS IN
NEW YORK CITY IS CAPABLE OF BEING SECURED COMPLETELY.
//END ACT//
PROFESSOR CASTELLI SAYS COOPERATION AMONG U-S LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES TO INVESTIGATE POTENTIAL ACTS OF TERRORISM IS VERY GOOD.
BUT HE NOTES OPEN, DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES CANNOT PROVIDE IRON-CLAD
GUARANTEES:
//CASTELLI ACT//
THE FACT IS WE LIVE IN A FREE SOCIETY AND IN A FREE
SOCIETY THAT IS NON-RESTRICTIVE THERE IS ALWAYS THE
POSSIBILITY THAT A RANDOM ACT OF VIOLENCE OR TERRORISM
CAN TAKE PLACE. AND, ALTHOUGH BETWEEN OUR COLLECTIVE
STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY WE
HAVE A NUMBER OF PLANS IN EFFECT TO PRO-ACTIVELY
INVESTIGATE AND WEED OUT POTENTIAL TERRORISM THREATS, IT
WOULD BE NAIVE TO THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
CATCH EVERYONE IN THAT NET.
//END ACT//
LAST AUGUST, POLICE BROKE UP A SUSPECTED PLOT TO PLACE A BOMB AT
ONE OF THE BUSIEST STATIONS OF THE NEW YORK SUBWAY SYSTEM. THEY
WORKED ON A TIP. TWO MEN WITH JORDANIAN PASSPORTS WERE ARRESTED
AND CHARGED.
GOOD INVESTIGATIVE WORK AND CONSTANT VIGILANCE...EXPERTS AGREE
THESE ARE THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS OF ANY PLAN AGAINST
TERRORISM. NEW YORK OFFICIALS SAY THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING AN
EFFICIENT JOB IN THE BATTLE AGAINST TERRORISM SINCE THAT FRIDAY
IN 1993, WHEN THE SMOKE AND BLOOD OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
BOMBING REMINDED NEW YORKERS OF THEIR VULNERABILITY. (SIGNED)
NEB/NY/EJ/LSF/PLM
20-Feb-98 4:09 PM EST (2109 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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