DATE=8/5/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SENATE - CHINA SPY (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-252519
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A U-S Senate committee has issued a sharply
critical report on the handling of the spying
investigation at a nuclear weapons lab - the one where
China allegedly stole secrets about American warheads.
The report also holds some new information about the
prime suspect, Wen Ho Lee. V-O-A's David Swan has
details.
TEXT: Behind closed doors, lawmakers questioned 20
officials from the F-B-I, Justice and Energy
Departments, all of which took part in the espionage
probe. Senator Joseph Lieberman, the senior Democrat
on the panel, says the result is a story with no
heroes.
// LIEBERMAN ACT //
There was what was to me a shocking lack of
thoroughness, competency and urgency in the
government's investigation of this very
important and critical case.
// END ACT //
The committee found Wen Ho Lee had already fallen
under suspicion twice, before the loss of warhead data
became known. The report reveals he failed a
polygraph test in February, after being asked if he
ever passed warhead information or secret computer
codes to any unauthorized person. His wife Sylvia
Lee, who also worked at the lab, built up a record of
security violations and alleged threats against co-
workers before being dismissed.
However, authorities have yet to bring a case against
Mr. Lee because of what the panel calls a badly
mishandled inquiry. The report finds the various
agencies moved too slowly and repeatedly failed to
coordinate their efforts.
Among other things, the senators say, investigators
could have and should have searched Mr. Lee's computer
long before this past March. When the search was
carried out, it revealed he moved a huge volume of
data from classified computers to unclassified,
relatively insecure ones. The committee chairman,
Republican Fred Thompson, says the full extent of the
damage may never be known.
// Thompson act //
The story is one of investigatory missteps,
institutional and personal miscommunications and
legal and policy mistakes and misunderstandings
at all levels of government.
// END ACT //
Just this week, the Taiwanese-born scientist publicly
proclaimed his innocence, suggesting investigators
targeted him because of his Asian background. The
government in Beijing also denies spying. The
criminal investigation continues but appears unlikely
to produce an espionage charge. (Signed)
NEB/DS/KL
05-Aug-1999 14:21 PM EDT (05-Aug-1999 1821 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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