DATE=3/9/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42802
TITLE=THE CHANGING FACE OF TERRORISM
BYLINE=DEBORAH COOPER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  PRESIDENT CLINTON'S PROPOSED DEFENSE SPENDING BUDGET FOR 
THE YEAR 2000 WILL INCLUDE NEARLY THREE BILLION DOLLARS EXTRA FOR
PROGRAMS TO COUNTER TERRORISTS PLANNING TO USE CHEMICAL, 
BIOLOGICAL OR OTHER UNCONVENTIONAL WEAPONS AGAINST THE UNITED 
STATES.  THE PRESIDENT SAYS SUCH AN ATTACK COULD OCCUR IN THE 
NEXT FEW YEARS AND HE WANTS AMERICANS TO BE PREPARED.  DEBORAH 
COOPER REPORTS THE ADMINISTRATION IS RESPONDING TO WHAT ONE 
EXPERT CALLS THE CHANGING FACE OF TERRORISM.

TEXT:  FEW WOULD DISAGREE THAT THE UNITED STATES POSSESSES GLOBAL
MILITARY SUPREMACY.  BUT ADVOCATES OF A BEEFED-UP 
COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORT SAY IT'S PRECISELY THAT STATUS WHICH 
MAKES THE UNITED STATES MORE VULNERABLE TO TERRORIST ATTACKS ON 
ITS OWN SOIL.  THE THINKING GOES -- IF THE UNITED STATES CANNOT 
BE BEATEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD THEN USE UNCONVENTIONAL TACTICS.  
TERRORISM -- IN ITS MANY FORMS -- IS THE OPTION.   FRANK CILLUFFO
-- A SENIOR ANALYST AT THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL
STUDIES IN WASHINGTON -- SAYS TERRORISTS ALSO HAVE NEW MOTIVES.

                      /// CILLUFFO ACT /// 

         TRADITIONALLY, TERRORISM WAS USED AS A TACTIC TO GET TO 
         THE NEGOTIATING TABLE.  IT WAS LARGELY POLITICALLY 
         MOTIVATED.  TODAY YOU ARE SEEING GROUPS THAT DON'T WANT 
         A SEAT AT THE TABLE, THEY WANT TO BLOW UP THE TABLE 
         ALTOGETHER AND BUILD A NEW ONE IN ITS PLACE.

                         /// END ACT ///

THE 1993 BOMBING OF NEW YORK CITY'S WORLD TRADE CENTER AND THE 
THE BOMBING TWO YEARS LATER OF THE FEDERAL OFFICE BUILDING IN 
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, SERVED AS WAKEUP CALLS (ALERTS) TO 
AMERICANS OF THE CHANGING FACE OF TERRORISM.  NEARLY 200 PEOPLE 
DIED IN THE TWO ATTACKS.  NO LONGER WERE TERRORIST ATTACKS TAKING
PLACE IN FAR OFF PLACES.  NOW, AMERICANS WERE BEING ATTACKED AT 
HOME.   

BUT EXPERTS SAY DESPITE THE CARNAGE RESULTING FROM THOSE ATTACKS,
TERRORISTS ARE NOW WORKING TO ACQUIRE CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL 
WEAPONS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO KILL FAR MORE PEOPLE.  
TERRORISM EXPERTS SAY THE KNOW-HOW AND INGREDIENTS TO BUILD THESE
WEAPONS ARE EASY TO GET. 

THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, FOR EXAMPLE, IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE 
ACTIVITIES OF A JAPANESE CULT WHICH ATTACKED THE TOKYO SUBWAY 
SYSTEM WITH NERVE GAS IN 1995, KILLING 12 PEOPLE AND INJURING 
FIVE THOUSAND.  THEY FEAR SIMILAR SCENARIOS IN THE UNITED STATES.

ABOUT HALF THE NEW MONEY FOR THE COUNTER-TERRORISM PROGRAM WOULD 
GO TO SUPPORT COMPUTER SECURITY PROGRAMS AND TO PROTECT THE 
COMPUTER NETWORKS OF THE BANKING, COMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITY 
INDUSTRIES AGAINST SO-CALLED CYBER ATTACKS.  

TERRORISM EXPERT FRANK CILLUFFO SAYS A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE 
OPERATING OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE.

                      /// CILLUFFO ACT ///

         THE UNITED STATES IS EXTREMELY DEPENDENT ON INFORMATION 
         TECHNOLOGIES. A NUMBER OF OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES 
         THAT WE RELY ON FOR DAY TO DAY SERVICES, INCLUDING 
         ELECTRIC POWER, INCLUDING TELECOMMUNICATION, INCLUDING 
         FINANCE AND BANKING, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER 
         WHAT WE REFER TO AS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.  WE ARE 
         DEPENDENT ON TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO 
         MISUSE.

                         /// END ACT ///

MR. CILLUFFO SAYS TO COUNTER SUCH AN ATTACK WOULD TAKE CLOSE 
COOPERATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR SINCE THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR OWNS, RUNS AND OPERATES MOST OF THESE 
INFRASTRUCTURES. THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY CREATED A 
TASK FORCE WITH THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION TO ESTABLISH 
A NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION CENTER DESIGNED TO DETECT 
WHEN SOMEONE IS TRYING TO ATTACK INFRASTRUCTURE. 

THE U-S MILITARY ALSO IS HELPING TO TRAIN LOCAL POLICE, FIRE AND 
MEDICAL PERSONNEL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ON HOW TO DEAL WITH 
CHEMICAL OR GERM ATTACKS.  THESE SO-CALLED FIRST RESPONDERS WOULD
BE THE FIRST TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF A SUCH AN ATTACK. 

UNDER CONSIDERATION ARE SEVERAL PROPOSALS TO PROTECT AMERICANS 
AGAINST POTENTIALLY DEADLY ATTACKS, INCLUDING VACCINATING LOCAL 
EMERGENCY OFFICIALS AGAINST THE ANTHRAX GERM, DEVELOPING NEW 
VACCINES, STOCKPILING ANTIBIOTICS AND SETTING UP EMERGENCY 
MEDICAL TEAMS IN MAJOR CITIES. 

BUT MOST CONTROVERSIAL IS A PROPOSAL PUT FORWARD BY THE DEFENSE 
DEPARTMENT THAT IT APPOINT A MILITARY LEADER FOR THE CONTINENTAL 
UNITED STATES TO COORDINATE DOMESTIC COUNTER-TERRORISM 
ACTIVITIES.

CIVIL LIBERTARIANS FEAR SUCH MILITARY POWER COULD EXPAND TO 
THREATEN THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF PRIVATE CITIZENS.  THE DEFENSE 
DEPARTMENT INSISTS IT WOULD DO NO SUCH THING AND HAS NO INTENTION
OF USURPING CIVILIAN CONTROL.

PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE DANGER IN ALLOWING THE 
MILITARY TO TAKE A LARGER ROLE IN A HOMELAND DEFENSE, BUT HE 
INSISTS THERE WOULD NEVER BE A LOSS OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.  
(SIGNED) 

NEB/DC/KL

09-Mar-99 1:58 PM EST (1858 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.