DATE=  10/8/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-221018

TITLE=U-S-TERRORIST GROUPS (L)

BYLINE=RON PEMSTEIN

DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:   SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT HAS DESIGNATED 30 

GROUPS AS TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS AND BANNED THEM FROM RAISING 

MONEY IN THE UNITED STATES.  V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN 

REPORTS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT ON THE EFFECT OF THE LAW.



 

TEXT:   IN JANUARY, 1995, PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE 

ORDER BLOCKING FUNDS FOR 12 GROUPS THAT WERE ACCUSED OF USING 

VIOLENCE TO DISRUPT THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS.  IN THE LATEST

ACTION, SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT IS ACTING UNDER A1996 LAW 

THAT MAKES FUND RAISING FOR FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS A 

CRIME.  SHE HAS DESIGNATED THOSE SAME 12 MIDDLE EAST GROUPS AS 

WELL AS 18 ORGANIZATIONS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.



                       ///ALBRIGHT ACT///



         OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE UNITED STATES FULLY A NO SUPPORT

         FOR TERRORISM ZONE.  OUR MESSAGE TO ANYONE THAT COMES 

         INTO OUR COUNTRY,INTENDING TO RAISE MONEY FOR A 

         TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IS THAT YOU RISK GOING TO JAIL 

         AND OUR MESSAGE TO ANYONE WHO IS PART OF A TERRORIST 

         ORGANIZATION AND WHO WANTS TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES IS

         YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE.



                          ///END ACT///



A SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS 700 TO 800 THOUSAND DOLLARS

IN AMERICAN BANK ACCOUNTS FOR MIDDLE EAST GROUPS SUCH AS HAMAS 

AND HEZBOLLAH AND KACH AND KAHANE CHAI HAS ALREADY BEEN BLOCKED 

BY PRESIDENT CLINTON'S 1995 ORDER. THE OFFICIAL HAS NO ESTIMATE 

ON HOW MUCH MORE MONEY WILL BE BLOCKED BY THE DESIGNATION OF 18 

MORE GROUPS RANGING FROM THE KHMER ROUGE IN CAMBODIA TO THE TAMIL

TIGERS IN SRILANKA, THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY IN TURKEY TO THE 

SHINING PATH ANDTUPAC AMARU IN PERU.



THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE LIST OF 30 IS NOT FINAL AND OTHER 

ORGANIZATIONS CAN BE ADDED AS NEEDED.  NOTABLY ABSENT FROM THE 

LIST WAS THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY THAT HAS BEEN BLAMED FOR 

TERRORIST ACTIONS IN BRITAIN. 



SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS THE I-R-A'S RECENT CEASEFIRE 

DECLARATION KEEPS THE GROUP OFF THE CURRENT LIST.



                         ///RUBIN ACT///



         THERE IS A STRONG BODY OF EVIDENCE DOCUMENTING HISTORIC 

         I-R-A INVOLVEMENT IN TERRORIST ACTIVITY. AS THE ACT 

         CALLS FOR, THE DESIGNATION OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ENGAGE 

         IN TERRORIST ACTIVITY, THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS TAKEN 

         NOTE OF THE JULY 19TH ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE I-R-A OF AN 

         UNEQUIVOCAL CEASEFIRE AS WELL AS THE SUBSEQUENT DECISION

         BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THAT THE CEASEFIRE WAS GENUINE

         IN WORD AND DEED.



                         ///END ACT/// 



THE SPOKESMAN SAYS THE SECRETARY OF STATE INTENDS TO KEEP THE 

I-R-A'S STATUS UNDER REVIEW.  THE STATE DEPARTMENT LIST IS 

CERTAIN TO FACE CHALLENGE IN THE AMERICAN COURTS.  ALREADY A 

COURT IN SAN FRANCISCO HAS STOPPED THE DEPORTATION OF ARABS THAT 

THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS ACCUSED OF RAISING FUNDS FOR TERRORIST 

ORGANIZATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. WHILE THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS

CHALLENGING THIS RULING AS A PRECEDENT, ANY AMERICAN FACING 

PROSECUTION UNDER THE NEW LAW IS LIKELY TO SUE THE SECRETARY OF 

STATE.  (SIGNED) 







NEB/PT 



08-Oct-97 4:40 PM EDT (2040 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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