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DATE=1/22/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244523
TITLE=CLINTON/TERRORISM (L)
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT A 
TERRORIST GROUP COULD SOON ATTACK THE UNITED STATES WITH 
BIOLOGICAL OR CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND IS ANNOUNCING A RANGE OF 
EFFORTS TO COMBAT WHAT HE DESCRIBES AS THE NEW TOOLS OF 
DESTRUCTION. CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE HAS DETAILS FROM THE 
WHITE HOUSE.
TEXT:   LAST YEAR, THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WARNED 
CONGRESS THE NATION'S BANKING SYSTEM IS SO UNPROTECTED FROM 
COMPUTER HACKERS (I.E. THOSE WHO WOULD ILLEGALLY BREAK INTO 
COMPUTER SYSTEMS) THAT IT COULD BE CRIPPLED BY CYBER-TERRORISTS. 
AS THE PRESIDENT PUT IT, WE MUST BE READY.
                       /// CLINTON ACT ///
   READY IF OUR ADVERSARIES TRY TO USE COMPUTERS TO DISABLE POWER
GRIDS, BANKING, COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS, 
POLICE, FIRE, AND HEALTH SERVICES, OR MILITARY ASSETS.  MORE AND 
MORE, THESE CRITICAL SYSTEMS ARE DRIVEN BY, AND LINKED TOGETHER, 
WITH COMPUTERS, MAKING THEM MORE VULNERABLE TO DISRUPTION.
                         /// END ACT ///
READY ALSO MEANS ASKING CONGRESS FOR BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO 
PROTECT AMERICANS FROM THE POSSIBILITY OF A TERRORIST PREPARED TO
ATTACK WITH CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS, SOMETHING MR. CLINTON
SAYS HAS GIVEN HIM SLEEPLESS NIGHTS.
                   /// SECOND CLINTON ACT ///
   A SMALL BAND OF TERRORISTS COULD INFLICT TREMENDOUS HARM.  
FOUR YEARS AGO, THE WORLD RECEIVED A WAKE UP CALL WHEN A GROUP 
UNLEASHED A DEADLY CHEMICAL WEAPON, NERVE GAS, IN THE TOKYO 
SUBWAY.  WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR THE POSSIBILITY THAT SUCH A 
GROUP WILL OBTAIN BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.
                         /// END ACT ///
SUCH THREATS HAVE BEEN NAGGING AT HIM, AS HE PUT IT, FOR THE PAST
SIX YEARS. THE POTENTIAL HARM THAT COULD BE CAUSED BY SABOTAGE TO
JUST A SINGLE ELEMENT OF THE NATION'S COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, 
SAID THE PRESIDENT, WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT JUST LAST YEAR.
                    /// THIRD CLINTON ACT ///
   LAST SPRING, WE SAW THE ENORMOUS IMPACT OF A SINGLE FAILED 
ELECTRONIC LINK WHEN A SATELLITE MALFUNCTION DISABLED PAGERS, 
A-T-M'S (AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINES), CREDIT CARD SYSTEMS AND 
TELEVISION NETWORKS ALL AROUND THE WORLD.  AND WE ALREADY ARE 
SEEING THE FIRST WAVE OF DELIBERATE CYBER ATTACKS, HACKERS 
BREAKING INTO GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS COMPUTERS, STEALING AND 
DESTROYING INFORMATION, RAIDING BACK ACCOUNTS, RUNNING UP CREDIT 
CARD CHARGES.
                         /// END ACT ///
THE PRESIDENT TOLD THE NEW YORK TIMES NEWSPAPER THAT HE IS ALSO 
CONSIDERING GIVING ANTHRAX VACCINATIONS TO POLICE AND OTHER 
EMERGENCY OFFICIALS AROUND THE COUNTRY.  SOME AMERICAN CITIES ARE
MOVING AHEAD WITH ANTI-DISASTER PROCEDURES ON THEIR OWN.  THE 
PENTAGON HAS ALREADY ORDERED ALL MEMBERS OF THE U-S MILITARY TO 
BE VACCINATED AGAINST ANTHRAX. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/WDC/GE
22-Jan-99 1:02 PM EST (1802 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.