DATE=  11/4/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222169

TITLE=U-S CONGRESS: DEALING WITH TERRORISM

BYLINE=NELSON BROWN

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: // CORRECTING NAME TO SKELTON THROUGHOUT // 



INTRO:   A CONGRESSIONAL PANEL IS REVIEWING HOW U-S AUTHORITIES 

ARE PREPARING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE 

UNITED STATES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHICH MIGHT INVOLVE THE USE OF 

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.  FROM WASHINGTON, VOA'S NELSON BROWN

HAS THE STORY.



TEXT:  WITH THE TRIAL OF OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING SUSPECT TERRY 

NICHOLS NOW UNDERWAY, MANY AMERICANS ARE RE-LIVING THAT DAY IN 

1996 WHEN A HUGE BOMB DESTROYED A FEDERAL OFFICE BUILDING IN THAT

MIDWESTERN CITY.



FOR YEARS, MANY PEOPLE LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES BELIEVED 

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM WAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO CITIZENS 

OF OTHER COUNTRIES.  BUT THREE INCIDENTS CHANGED THAT VIEW: THE 

1993 BOMBING OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER COMPLEX, IN THE HEART OF 

NEW YORK CITY; THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING, IN THE HEARTLAND OF 

AMERICA, AND THE 1995 EXPLOSION IN SAUDI ARABIA, WHICH TARGETTED 

YOUNG AMERICAN SOLDIERS.



DURING A HEARING TUESDAY, CONGRESSMAN IKE SKELTON SAID ALL THREE 

INCIDENTS SHARE IN COMMON ONE UNAVOIDABLE TRUTH.



                    // SKELTON ACTUALITY // 



         AMERICANS DIED BRUTALLY, WITHOUT WARNING, UNNECESSARILY,

         AND IN A MANNER THAT WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE IMITATED 

         IN THE FUTURE.  IN 1995 AND 1996, ABOUT ONE-FOURTH OF 

         ALL INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST ACTS WERE AGAINST U-S 

         TARGETS.



                          // END ACT //



CONGRESSMAN SKELTON SAID THE NUMBER OF TERORRIST INCIDENTS BOTH 

WORLDWIDE AND IN THE UNITED STATES HAS DECLINED IN RECENT YEARS, 

BUT THEY HAVE BEEN MORE VIOLENT AND LETHAL. 



LEGISLATION ENACTED IN 1996 REQUIRED PRESIDENT CLINTON TO TAKE 

IMMEDIATE ACTION TO ADDRESS HOW THE GOVERNMENT CAN BETTER PREPARE

FOR ACTS OF TERRORISM, ESPECIALLY THE POSSIBLE USE OF NUCLEAR, 

CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS.  AND HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT 

HELP STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES RESPOND TO SUCH EMERGENCIES ONCE 

THEY OCCUR.



TUESDAY, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN CURT WELDON'S RESEARCH AND 

DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE HELD A HEARING TO REVIEW THE FEDERAL 

GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE.  



// OPT // CONGRESSMAN SKELTON TOLD THE PANEL THAT WHILE THE 

BETTER-KNOWN DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AND FEDERAL BUREAU OF 

INVESTIGATION LEAD THE WAY, MORE THAN 40 DEPARTMENTS, AGENCIES 

AND BUREAUS ARE INVOLVED.  THUS, HE SAYS, COORDINATION BECOMES A 

MAJOR PROBLEM. // END OPT // 



                        // SKELTON ACT //



         MANY DIFFERENT FEDERAL AGENCIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS 

         POSSESS EXISTING OR EMERGING CAPABILITIES FOR RESPONDING

         TO A WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ATTACK; YET, UNEVEN AND

         INCOMPATIBLE LEVELS OF EXPERTISE OFTEN EXIST, 

         DUPLICATION AND POOR COMMUNICATION MAY COMPLICATE OUR 

         EFFORT, AND PUBLIC COMPLACENCY, SAD AS IT IS, MAY 

         THREATEN TO WEAKEN OUR OVER ALL CAPABILITY.



                          // END ACT //



// OPT // REPRESENTATIVES FROM SEVERAL AGENCIES DESCRIBED 

TRAINING AND COORDINATION EFFORTS NATIONWIDE. // OPT // 



SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN WELDON WAS CONCERNED ABOUT TRAINING AT THE 

LOCAL LEVEL FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE FIRST TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE OF A 

DISASTER.



                      // WELDON OPT ACT //



         THERE IS NO TRAINING IN THIS COUNTRY TO RESPOND TO 

         DISASTERS. TO RESCUE PEOPLE IN BUILDINGS, TO GO INTO A 

         SUBWAY AND RESCUE PEOPLE OUT OF A SUBWAY SYSTEM THAT HAS

         COLLAPSED.  THERE'S NO TRAINING FOR THE KIND OF PROBLEMS

         THAT ARE REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS THAT RESULT FROM WEAPONS 

         OF MASS DESTRUCTION OR NATURAL DISASTERS.



                        // END OPT ACT //



MR. WELDON SAID ELEMENTS OF THE PROBLEM HE DESCRIBED EXISTED 

DURING THE PREVIOUS REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION AND THUS HE WAS NOT

JUST POINTING THE FINGER AT PRESIDENT CLINTON. 



DEFENSE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL JAMES ROBERTS SAID THERE IS A LOT OF 

"HANDS-ON" TRAINING ALREADY UNDERWAY, BUT THE CHALLENGE WILL BE 

TO FIND HOW TO DO A BETTER JOB. (SIGNED)



NEB/NCB/EH



 







04-Nov-97 4:37 PM EST (2137 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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