DATE=5/6/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249051
TITLE=U-S / CHINA ESPIONAGE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM MALONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S ATTORNEY-GENERAL JANET RENO IS LAUNCHING AN INTERNAL
PROBE TO SEE IF FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS MISHANDLED ALLEGATIONS OF
CHINESE ESPIONAGE AT U-S NUCLEAR WEAPONS LABORATORIES. V-O-A
NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE HAS DETAILS.
TEXT: ATTORNEY-GENERAL RENO TOLD REPORTERS AT HER WEEKLY NEWS
CONFERENCE THAT SHE WILL SOON APPOINT A SPECIAL PANEL TO REVIEW
HOW THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION HANDLED THE PROBE OF A SCIENTIST SUSPECTED OF
PASSING NUCLEAR SECRETS TO CHINA.
/// RENO ACT ///
I JUST THINK, IN A MATTER LIKE THIS, EVERYBODY SHOULD
HEAR ALL THE FACTS POSSIBLE BEFORE THEY JUMP TO
CONCLUSIONS AND THEN I THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE OTHER
THOUGHTS. AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT WE
COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY.
/// END ACT. ///
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS COME UNDER FIRE FROM CONGRESSIONAL
REPUBLICANS WHO SAY FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS FROM THE F-B-I AND THE
DEPARTMENTS OF JUSTICE AND ENERGY BUNGLED THE CASE OF SCIENTIST
WEN HO LEE.
MR. LEE IS A TAIWANESE-BORN SCIENTIST WHO HAD BEEN WORKING AT THE
LOS ALAMOS NUCLEAR WEAPONS LAB IN NEW MEXICO SINCE 1978. HE WAS
FIRED FROM HIS JOB IN MARCH AFTER HE CAME UNDER SUSPICION FOR
POSSIBLY PASSING ALONG SECRETS TO CHINA INCLUDING INFORMATION
ABOUT THE MOST ADVANCED NUCLEAR WARHEAD IN THE U-S ARSENAL KNOWN
AS THE W-88.
MR. LEE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CASE AND HIS
LAWYER HAS DENIED THAT HE COMMITTED ANY CRIME. CHINESE OFFICIALS
IN BEIJING HAVE ALSO DENIED STEALING U-S NUCLEAR SECRETS.
SOME CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ARE FURIOUS ABOUT THE SPY CHARGES
AND ARE URGING NUCLEAR WEAPONS LABS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO TIGHTEN
THEIR SECURITY PROCEDURES. (SIGNED)
NEB/JBM/JO
06-May-99 12:30 PM EDT (1630 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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