DATE=8/13/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA / SPYING / DISCIPLINE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-252769
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 


INTRO:  The U-S Energy Secretary is urging punishment 
for three officials who allowed a suspected Chinese 
spy to remain in place at a nuclear weapons lab.  
V-O-A's David Swan reports on the latest developments 
in the case.

TEXT:  Secretary Bill Richardson has acknowledged what 
he calls a total breakdown in security, with plenty of 
blame to go around.  However, he has singled out just 
three people for possible discipline -- the former 
director of the Los Alamos lab, its former chief of 
counterintelligence and a second counterintelligence 
official.

An internal inquiry found the three did  not  act 
quickly or decisively enough against Wen Ho Lee, the 
scientist who allegedly passed nuclear warhead data to 
Beijing.  The lab director reportedly failed to curb 
his access to secret information, even after he fell 
under suspicion.

Another official neglected to tell F-B-I agents Mr. 
Lee had signed a document [waiver] allowing them to 
search his computer.  As a result, it took until May 
of this year to learn he moved a huge volume of 
classified code from a secure computer network to his 
own, relatively insecure machine.

None  of the three men had any immediate comment on 
the allegations.  Mr. Lee denies spying and, though he 
was fired in March, he has  not  been charged.  
Officials have said they may  never  be able to build 
an espionage case against him, but may prosecute him 
on lesser charges, such as mishandling secrets.

Mr. Richardson's recommendation for discipline marks 
another attempt to put the matter to rest.  The 
administration is still at odds with some Republicans 
in Congress, who want a major reorganization of the 
Energy Department and the labs.   (Signed)

NEB/DS/WTW



13-Aug-1999 11:57 AM EDT (13-Aug-1999 1557 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.