FAS | Intelligence | News | 1999 ||||

April 1999 Intelligence News

• GLOBAL TERRORISM Voice of America 30 April 1999-- THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE NUMBER OF TERRORIST ATTACKS WORLDWIDE HAS FALLEN TO THE LOWEST LEVEL IN NEARLY 30 YEARS. BUT A NEW TERRORISM REPORT (RELEASED FRIDAY) SAYS THESE INCIDENTS CAUSED A RECORD-HIGH CASUALTY TOLL AROUND THE WORLD IN 1998.
• ALBRIGHT: U.S. PURSUING FULL FLEDGED EFFORT AGAINST TERRORISM USIA 30 April 1999-- The State Department issued its annual report on "Patterns of Global Terrorism" April 30, containing a list of state sponsors of terror that has not changed since August of 1993.
• TEXT: FBI'S WATSON CITES EFFORTS TO COMBAT TERRORIST ATTACK USIA 30 April 1999-- The FBI's focus in counterproliferation efforts is "the identification, penetration, and neutralization" of WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) proliferation activities, an agency counterterrorism official says.
• TEXT: ALBRIGHT STATEMENT ON STATE DEPARTMENT'S TERRORISM REPORT USIA 30 April 1999-- The State Department's report on global terrorism in 1998 shows that there were fewer reported incidents than in any year since 1971, but that a record number of people were killed in those attacks, Secretary of State Albright observed in a statement issued April 30.
• TEXT: U.S. NAMES SEVEN NATIONS AS STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM USIA 30 April 1999-- The State Department, in its annual report on "Patterns of Global Terrorism," has designated seven nations -- Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria -- as state sponsors of international terrorism.
• PRESS RELEASE: LOCKHEED MARTIN ATHENA LAUNCH OF IKONOS SATELLITE EXPERIENCED AN ANOMALY SPACE IMAGING 27 April 1999--Space Imaging and Lockheed Martin Astronautics have not successfully acquired telemetry signals from the IKONOS 1 satellite following its launch this morning by a Lockheed Martin Athena II rocket.
• "THE TRANSPARENT SOCIETY," Voice of America 22 April 1999-- IN 1997, NEW YORK CITY SET UP 24-HOUR REMOTE SURVEILLANCE IN CENTRAL PARK. BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, NOW HAS MORE THAN 100 CAMERAS SET UP TO SCAN DOWNTOWN INTERSECTIONS. A NEW BOOK DISCUSSES SOME OF THESE HIGH-TECH DEVELOPMENTS.
• TEXT: FAA EXPANDS AIRSPACE RESTRICTIONS FOR NATO SUMMIT 20 April 1999 - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a temporary expansion of airspace restrictions and enhanced airport security in the Washington, D.C., area during the 50th Anniversary NATO Summit April 23-25.
• School of the America's curriculum promotes human rights by Gerry J. Gilmore (Army News Service, April 20, 1999) - The senior officer in charge of a U.S. Army school that provides military training to Latin American and Caribbean service members said his facility's curriculum fosters democratic ideals and teaches principles of human rights.
• PREVENTING TERRORISM Voice of America 14 April 1999 -- SECURITY EXPERTS SAY A NEW PROPOSAL TO SPEND ONE-POINT-FOUR BILLION DOLLARS TO HELP SAFEGUARD U-S MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD FROM TERRORISM IS ESSENTIAL. BUT THESE SAME EXPERTS WARN EVEN WITH MORE SECURITY, THERE IS NO WAY TO BE 100-PERCENT SAFE FROM TERRORIST ATTACKS.
• SECSTATE SENDS ACCOUNTABILITY REVIEW BOARD PROPOSALS TO CONGRESS By Sarah Lapp USIA 09 April 1999 -- Secretary of State Albright says she agrees with all of the recommendations made by the two boards tasked with investigating the bombings of two US Embassy bombings in East Africa, and urges that Congress provide enough funds to upgrade the security of diplomatic posts around the world.
• TEXT: SECSTATE ON REPORT TO CONGRESS ON EMBASSY BOMBINGS USIA 09 April 1999 -- Secretary of State Albright says the 24 recommendations made by two Accountability Review Boards set up to look into the August 7, 1998 bombings of US embassies in Nairobi and Dar-Es-Salaam underscore two important themes: the need for continued vigilance and the need for more resources to protect overseas posts.
• TEXT: UN SECURITY COUNCIL STATEMENT ON LOCKERBIE SUSPECTS USIA 08 April 1999 -- The UN Security Council has officially recognized that the two Libyan suspects in the Lockerbie bombing are in the Netherlands to stand trial and that the sanctions against Libya have been suspended.
• LIBYA / SANCTIONS Voice of America 07 April 1999 -- NATIONAL AIRLINES FROM SEVERAL ARAB NATIONS SAY THEY WILL SOON RESUME FLIGHTS TO LIBYA. THE MOVE IS PART OF EFFORTS BY ARAB NATIONS TO RE-INTRODUCE LIBYA TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF ISOLATION AND SANCTIONS.
• LIBYA FINALLY SURRENDERS THE LOCKERBIE SUSPECTS Voice of America 06 April 1999 -- THE U-S MEDIA, WHICH HAS FOLLOWED THE STORY SINCE THE DECEMBER 1988 CRASH, AND THE TORTUOUS DIPLOMATIC PROCEEDINGS, WHICH FINALLY RESULTED IN THE HANDOVER, HAS BEEN QUICK TO RESPOND WITH COMMENT.
• LOCKERBIE / MIDEAST REACT Voice of America 06 April 1999 -- THE ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WAS THE FIRST FOREIGN OFFICIAL TO FLY TO LIBYA FOLLOWING THE SUSPENSION OF THE SANCTIONS. HIS SPOKESMAN CALLED IT THE FIRST STEP TOWARD LIBYA'S REINCLUSION IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
• LOCKERBIE BOMBING ARRAIGNMENT Voice of America 06 April 1999 -- SCOTTISH POLICE HAVE BROUGHT FORMAL CHARGES OF MURDER AGAINST TWO LIBYANS ACCUSED OF BLOWING UP AN AMERICAN PASSENGER JET OVER (LOCKERBIE) SCOTLAND, MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO.
• UN SAYS LIBYAN SUSPECTS ARE IN THE NETHERLANDS By Judy Aita USIA 05 April 1999 -- Secretary General Kofi Annan April 5 officially informed the UN Security Council that the two Libyans suspected of carrying out the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in which 270 were killed, have been turned over to authorities in the Netherlands to stand trial before a Scottish court.
• TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN AT HEADQUARTERS 5 April 1999 Press Release SG/SM/6944 --- THE SECRETARY-GENERAL: I am pleased to announce that I have just spoken to Hans Corell, who has informed me of the safe arrival in the Netherlands of the two Libyan nationals accused of destroying Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, in Scotland, in 1988.
• ALBRIGHT ON HAND-OVER OF PAN AM 103 SUSPECTS APRIL 5 -- Secretary of State Albright said the hand-over on April 5 of the two suspects in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 marks "a new phase in the long journey to justice."
• TEXT: CLINTON ON PAN AM FLIGHT 103 BOMBING SUSPECTS APRIL 5 -- President Clinton says he is grateful that "the two suspects accused in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 were delivered by the United Nations to the custody of Dutch authorities" April 5.
• BRITAIN / LOCKERBIE Voice of America 05 April 1999 -- BRITAIN'S FOREIGN SECRETARY TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE THE HANDOVER OF THE LIBYAN SUSPECTS ENDS TEN YEARS OF DIPLOMATIC AND LEGAL WRANGLING OVER WHEN AND HOW THE LOCKERBIE TRIAL WOULD BE CONDUCTED.
• LIBYA / LOCKERBIE HANDOVER Voice of America 05 April 1999 -- TWO LIBYAN SUSPECTS WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOCKERBIE BOMBING CASE HAVE BEEN HANDED OVER TO U-N OFFICIALS AND WILL FACE TRIAL IN THE NETHERLANDS.
• LOCKERBIE SUSPECTS Voice of America 05 April 1999 -- TWO LIBYANS WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH THE 1998 BOMBING OF THE AMERICAN JUMBO JET OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND HAVE ARRIVED IN THE NETHERLANDS WHERE THEY WILL STAND TRIAL BEFORE A SPECIALLY CONVENED SCOTTISH COURT.
• U-N / ANNAN / LOCKERBIE Voice of America 05 April 1999 -- UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN SAYS HE IS RELIEVED BY NEWS THAT LIBYA TODAY (MONDAY) ALLOWED THE EXTRADITION OF TWO OF ITS NATIONALS ACCUSED OF BOMBING A U-S AIRLINER OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND IN 1988.
• LIBYA / LOCKERBIE / ARABS Voice of America 04 April 1999 -- A GROUP OF ARAB OFFICIALS IS TRAVELING TO LIBYA TO WITNESS THE HANDOVER OF TWO LIBYANS, WANTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOCKERBIE PLANE BOMBING CASE.
• BRITAIN/LOCKERBIE Voice of America 03 April 1999 -- THE U-N LEGAL OFFICER IS TO ESCORT THE TWO SUSPECTS, ALONG WITH THEIR LAWYERS AND FAMILIES, TO THE NETHERLANDS WHERE A SCOTTISH COURT HAS BEEN SET UP AT AN UNUSED AIR BASE.
• BRITAIN/LOCKERBIE Voice of America 03 April 1999 -- U-N LEGAL ADVISOR HANS CORELL IS ON HIS WAY TO LIBYA TO TO ESCORT TWO LIBYAN SUSPECTS TO THE NETHERLANDS TO STAND TRIAL IN THE LOCKERBIE BOMBING CASE.
• LOCKERBIE BOMBING SUSPECTS Voice of America 03 April 1999 -- LIBYAN LEADER MUAMMAR GADAFFI HAS UNTIL TUESDAY (APRIL 6) TO MAKE GOOD ON HIS PROMISE TO TURN THE TWO SUSPECTS OVER TO U-N OFFICIALS, WHO WILL THEN FLY THEM TO THE NETHERLANDS FOR TRIAL.
• MELISSA VIRUS Voice of America 02 April 1999 -- A NEW JERSEY MAN WAS CHARGED TODAY (FRIDAY) WITH ORIGINATING A MALICIOUS COMPUTER VIRUS THAT INFECTED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPUTERS AROUND THE WORLD WITH LINKS TO PORNOGRAPHIC WEB SITES.
• Trade of 'Blackest' Secrets Began in '45 -- in N.M. By John Fleck Albuquerque Journal 01 April 1999 -- Ideas that used to be highly classified are now widely known. "The principles of both fission and fusion weapons have long been in the public domain," said Steve Aftergood, a government secrecy expert with the Federation of American Scientists. "You can find them in your school encyclopedia."