DATE=3/9/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42802
TITLE=THE CHANGING FACE OF TERRORISM
BYLINE=DEBORAH COOPER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON'S PROPOSED DEFENSE SPENDING BUDGET FOR
THE YEAR 2000 WILL INCLUDE NEARLY THREE BILLION DOLLARS EXTRA FOR
PROGRAMS TO COUNTER TERRORISTS PLANNING TO USE CHEMICAL,
BIOLOGICAL OR OTHER UNCONVENTIONAL WEAPONS AGAINST THE UNITED
STATES. THE PRESIDENT SAYS SUCH AN ATTACK COULD OCCUR IN THE
NEXT FEW YEARS AND HE WANTS AMERICANS TO BE PREPARED. DEBORAH
COOPER REPORTS THE ADMINISTRATION IS RESPONDING TO WHAT ONE
EXPERT CALLS THE CHANGING FACE OF TERRORISM.
TEXT: FEW WOULD DISAGREE THAT THE UNITED STATES POSSESSES GLOBAL
MILITARY SUPREMACY. BUT ADVOCATES OF A BEEFED-UP
COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORT SAY IT'S PRECISELY THAT STATUS WHICH
MAKES THE UNITED STATES MORE VULNERABLE TO TERRORIST ATTACKS ON
ITS OWN SOIL. THE THINKING GOES -- IF THE UNITED STATES CANNOT
BE BEATEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD THEN USE UNCONVENTIONAL TACTICS.
TERRORISM -- IN ITS MANY FORMS -- IS THE OPTION. FRANK CILLUFFO
-- A SENIOR ANALYST AT THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL
STUDIES IN WASHINGTON -- SAYS TERRORISTS ALSO HAVE NEW MOTIVES.
/// CILLUFFO ACT ///
TRADITIONALLY, TERRORISM WAS USED AS A TACTIC TO GET TO
THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. IT WAS LARGELY POLITICALLY
MOTIVATED. TODAY YOU ARE SEEING GROUPS THAT DON'T WANT
A SEAT AT THE TABLE, THEY WANT TO BLOW UP THE TABLE
ALTOGETHER AND BUILD A NEW ONE IN ITS PLACE.
/// END ACT ///
THE 1993 BOMBING OF NEW YORK CITY'S WORLD TRADE CENTER AND THE
THE BOMBING TWO YEARS LATER OF THE FEDERAL OFFICE BUILDING IN
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, SERVED AS WAKEUP CALLS (ALERTS) TO
AMERICANS OF THE CHANGING FACE OF TERRORISM. NEARLY 200 PEOPLE
DIED IN THE TWO ATTACKS. NO LONGER WERE TERRORIST ATTACKS TAKING
PLACE IN FAR OFF PLACES. NOW, AMERICANS WERE BEING ATTACKED AT
HOME.
BUT EXPERTS SAY DESPITE THE CARNAGE RESULTING FROM THOSE ATTACKS,
TERRORISTS ARE NOW WORKING TO ACQUIRE CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL
WEAPONS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO KILL FAR MORE PEOPLE.
TERRORISM EXPERTS SAY THE KNOW-HOW AND INGREDIENTS TO BUILD THESE
WEAPONS ARE EASY TO GET.
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, FOR EXAMPLE, IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE
ACTIVITIES OF A JAPANESE CULT WHICH ATTACKED THE TOKYO SUBWAY
SYSTEM WITH NERVE GAS IN 1995, KILLING 12 PEOPLE AND INJURING
FIVE THOUSAND. THEY FEAR SIMILAR SCENARIOS IN THE UNITED STATES.
ABOUT HALF THE NEW MONEY FOR THE COUNTER-TERRORISM PROGRAM WOULD
GO TO SUPPORT COMPUTER SECURITY PROGRAMS AND TO PROTECT THE
COMPUTER NETWORKS OF THE BANKING, COMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITY
INDUSTRIES AGAINST SO-CALLED CYBER ATTACKS.
TERRORISM EXPERT FRANK CILLUFFO SAYS A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE
OPERATING OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE.
/// CILLUFFO ACT ///
THE UNITED STATES IS EXTREMELY DEPENDENT ON INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGIES. A NUMBER OF OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES
THAT WE RELY ON FOR DAY TO DAY SERVICES, INCLUDING
ELECTRIC POWER, INCLUDING TELECOMMUNICATION, INCLUDING
FINANCE AND BANKING, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER
WHAT WE REFER TO AS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE. WE ARE
DEPENDENT ON TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO
MISUSE.
/// END ACT ///
MR. CILLUFFO SAYS TO COUNTER SUCH AN ATTACK WOULD TAKE CLOSE
COOPERATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR SINCE THE
PRIVATE SECTOR OWNS, RUNS AND OPERATES MOST OF THESE
INFRASTRUCTURES. THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY CREATED A
TASK FORCE WITH THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION TO ESTABLISH
A NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION CENTER DESIGNED TO DETECT
WHEN SOMEONE IS TRYING TO ATTACK INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE U-S MILITARY ALSO IS HELPING TO TRAIN LOCAL POLICE, FIRE AND
MEDICAL PERSONNEL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ON HOW TO DEAL WITH
CHEMICAL OR GERM ATTACKS. THESE SO-CALLED FIRST RESPONDERS WOULD
BE THE FIRST TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF A SUCH AN ATTACK.
UNDER CONSIDERATION ARE SEVERAL PROPOSALS TO PROTECT AMERICANS
AGAINST POTENTIALLY DEADLY ATTACKS, INCLUDING VACCINATING LOCAL
EMERGENCY OFFICIALS AGAINST THE ANTHRAX GERM, DEVELOPING NEW
VACCINES, STOCKPILING ANTIBIOTICS AND SETTING UP EMERGENCY
MEDICAL TEAMS IN MAJOR CITIES.
BUT MOST CONTROVERSIAL IS A PROPOSAL PUT FORWARD BY THE DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT THAT IT APPOINT A MILITARY LEADER FOR THE CONTINENTAL
UNITED STATES TO COORDINATE DOMESTIC COUNTER-TERRORISM
ACTIVITIES.
CIVIL LIBERTARIANS FEAR SUCH MILITARY POWER COULD EXPAND TO
THREATEN THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF PRIVATE CITIZENS. THE DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT INSISTS IT WOULD DO NO SUCH THING AND HAS NO INTENTION
OF USURPING CIVILIAN CONTROL.
PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE DANGER IN ALLOWING THE
MILITARY TO TAKE A LARGER ROLE IN A HOMELAND DEFENSE, BUT HE
INSISTS THERE WOULD NEVER BE A LOSS OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.
(SIGNED)
NEB/DC/KL
09-Mar-99 1:58 PM EST (1858 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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