UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Press Conference

THE HONORABLE JANET RENO, ATTORNEY GENERAL

Thursday, October 8, 1998

9:30 a.m.

P R O C E E D I N G S

(9:30 a.m.)

VOICES: Good morning.

ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO: Good morning.

QUESTION: How do you feel?

ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO: I'm fine. Thank you.

.....................

QUESTION: Also, there is an article, related, that Mr. bin Laden's gang -- this is from the London Times yesterday -- has acquired nuclear weapons by purchase from Russian -- former Soviet states, I should say -- and this man not only has nuclear weapons but of course could have missiles and could possibly use a ship-type platform for launching these missiles against the U.S. Is this being considered as a security risk?

ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO: I would not comment. I would let the National Security Council comment on any matters such as that.

QUESTION: Ms. Reno, as long as we are on the subject of terrorism, you are apparently due to unveil a new system of trying to deal with chemical and biological attacks this coming week. Without tipping your hand any more than you want to, what can you tell us by way of preview of that or rationale behind what you are going to be doing?

ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO: The Federal agencies are working together to develop a unified capacity in which we draw on the expertise of all the agencies involved to respond to State and locals in instances of attack by weapons of mass destruction. State and local fire, police, medical officials, and emergency officials are the first-responders. They are on the front line. They are frank to say, We need training, we need equipment; We are looking to you, but you have got to realize that we know our communities, our States, our areas better than you and we have got to build a partnership.

What this effort is about is developing a coordinated, a fully coordinated, Federal effort to train and to provide equipment in a cost-effective manner, based on sound standards. And it involves a two-way street with the State and local first-responders. Hearing from them, so that we get their input as to what their problems are, what they see to be the situation, and together, in a partnership, providing the training, providing the equipment, in a cost-effective way, meeting standards that everyone comes to accept, and also providing for the opportunity to have exercises in which State and local officials can work with Federal officials to be prepared in case the real thing, God forbid, should happen.

QUESTION: Just to follow up. How much -- I cannot think of the proper word -- but how urgent is the need for this type of process? It is obviously needed, but how urgently?

ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO: I think it is important, on all of these efforts, to be as prepared as possible. When we see that anything like this might be possible, I think we have got to use all reasonable means and do it with deliberate speed to get it done the right way.

..............

(Whereupon, at 10:03 a.m., the press conference concluded.)