Military

DATE=10-12-01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-281748

TITLE=CHENEY/TERRORISM (S-ONLY)

BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Vice President Dick Cheney is raising the possibility that cases of anthrax in Florida and New York might be linked, and that bioterrorism can not be ruled out as the cause. Correspondent Nick Simeone reports he told American public television Friday the timing of the cases raises questions.

TEXT: Vice President Cheney is not offering any firm evidence suggesting a link between the New York and Florida anthrax cases, but he told a national television audience the nation has to be concerned, given the timing of the two cases.

///CHENEY ACT ///

Maybe it's a coincidence. But I must say I'm a skeptic. I think the only responsible thing for us to do is to proceed on the basis that it could be linked.

/// END ACT ///

We have to assume that terrorists will strike again, he says, telling Americans there may be more terrorist cells in our midst. This week, the F-B-I warned Americans to be on alert for the possibility of more terrorist attacks in the next several days -- both at home and overseas.

The Vice President has spent much of the past week out of sight at a secure location, somewhere away from the White House, kept there for security reasons The same procedure put in place in the hours after the September 11th terror attacks in New York and Washington. (SIGNED)

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