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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