FAS | Intelligence | News | 1999 ||||

May 1999 Intelligence News

• TEXT: COMMERCE'S REINSCH ON ADMINISTRATION ENCRYPTION POLICY USIA 25 May 1999--Under Secretary of Commerce William Reinsch says the Clinton administration continues to oppose legislation -- which has significant support in Congress -- that would substantially liberalize U.S. exports of encryption technology arguing that it would hamper U.S. law enforcement abilities and threaten national security interests.
• FLORIDA / CUBAN SPIES Voice of America 20 May 1999 -- THREE MEN IN (THE SOUTHERN U-S STATE OF) FLORIDA WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH SPYING FOR CUBA SAY THEY ARE INNOCENT, AND ARE PLEADING NOT GUILTY TO A FEDERAL CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY INDICTMENT. U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE BRINGING NEW CHARGES AGAINST SOME OF THE 14 PEOPLE NAMED IN THE CASE.
• ANTI-CORRUPTION MEASURES CALLED KEY TO LATIN DEMOCRATIZATION USIA 20 May 1999--Two keys to Latin America's continued transition to democracy are decreasing government corruption and reducing regional poverty and income inequality, says Mark Schneider, assistant administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
• ALGER HISS: DISCLOSURE Voice of America 18 May 1999 -- A RECENT RULING BY A FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERING THE U-S GOVERNMENT TO UNSEAL SECRET GRAND-JURY TESTIMONY FROM 50 YEARS AGO MAY HELP SOLVE SOME OF THE ENDURING MYSTERIES OF THE COLD WAR. THE CASE INVOLVES THE SPY PROBE OF ALGER HISS -- A FORMER U-S STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL WHO WAS A KEY PLAYER IN THE CREATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS.
• PAKISTAN OPIUM Voice of America 18 May 1999 -- THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS PAKISTAN'S EFFORTS TO REDUCE OPIUM POPPY CULTIVATION IS THE BIGGEST SUCCESS IN NARCOTICS CONTROL IN A DECADE. SUBSTITUTION CROPS AND OTHER INCENTIVES HAVE BEEN USED TO CONVINCE MOST FARMERS TO STOP GROWING THE ILLEGAL PLANT. BUT SOME SAY THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT DOING ENOUGH,
• LAWYERS DISCUSS COUNTER-TERRORISM STRATEGIES USIA 14 May 1999 -- To combat growing terrorist acts directed against the United States or its citizens abroad, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been granted increased territorial jurisdiction to conduct investigations outside the United States, Dr. Wayne Zaideman, the FBI's chief of International Terrorism Analysis, told a group of lawyers and others dealing in the legal perspectives of counter-terrorism strategies May 13.
• BRITAIN / SPIES Voice of America 13 May 1999 -- BRITAIN IS TRYING TO SHUT DOWN AN INTERNET WEBSITE WHICH PUBLISHED INFORMATION ABOUT ALLEGED BRITISH SPIES. BRITAIN'S FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK ACCUSED A DISGRUNTLED FORMER SECRET AGENT OF PUTTING A LIST ON THE WEBSITE HE IDENTIFIED AS BRITISH INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS. FOR SECURITY REASONS -- IS TRYING TO SAY AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE SCANDAL.
• NSA DESIGNATES FIRST CENTERS OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN INFORMATION ASSURANCE EDUCATION NSA PRESS RELEASE May 11, 1999 -- National Security Agency for the first time has designated seven universities as Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education.
• TEXTS: COMMERCE, JUSTICE STATEMENTS ON ENCRYPTION RULING USIA 10 May 1999 -- The Commerce and Justice departments have issued statements warning exporters that controls on encryption software exports remain in force at least until federal U.S. courts take further action.
• ALBRIGHT: 'ERA OF SAFE U.S. DIPLOMATIC POSTS IS OVER' Voice of America "The era of safe diplomatic posts is over for America. The unthinkable act of terrorism must become a risk we think about and act to minimize everyday," Secretary of State Madeleine Albright warned May 7.
• CORRUPTION / FREE MARKETS Voice of America 04 May 1999 -- PARTICIPANTS AT AN ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE IN ATLANTA (GEORGIA) SAY FREE MARKET ECONOMIC REFORMS CAN HELP DETER BRIBERY AND INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN BUSINESS DEALINGS IN THE AMERICAS. FOUR CURRENT AND EIGHT FORMER HEADS OF STATE FROM THROUGHOUT THE HEMISPHERE ARE AMONG NUMEROUS OFFICIALS ATTENDING
• ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE OPENS Voice of America 03 May 1999 -- FOUR CURRENT AND EIGHT FORMER HEADS OF STATE FROM THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAS HAVE GATHERED IN ATLANTA (GEORGIA) FOR A THREE-DAY CONFERENCE FOCUSED ON WAYS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION.