FAS | Intelligence | News | 1999 ||||

October 1999 Intelligence News

• EGYPT PLANE CRASH Voice of America 31 October 1999 -- The plane disappeared early Sunday shortly after takeoff from New York City.
• CRASH INVESTIGATION Voice of America 31 October 1999 -- U-S officials are quickly organizing an investigation into the fate of Egypt Air flight 990 and the more than 200-people on board the plane.
• EGYPTAIR 990 Voice of America 31 October 1999 -- Investigators are searching for clues for the cause of the crash of an EgyptAir Boeing 767 airliner shortly after it took off early Sunday from New York's Kennedy Airport, on a flight to Cairo.
• Agents search US activist's Moscow apartment By Brian Whitmore, Boston Globe 10/30/99 -- Russian security agents have searched the Moscow apartment of American researcher Josh Handler. He recently wrote an article on the subject of how Russia stores nuclear warheads once they are removed from decommissioned missiles. The article, which appeared on the Web site of the Federation of American Scientists, pointed out safety hazards in the process due to a lack of storage space.
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing OCTOBER 29, 1999 -- Joshua Handler reported to our embassy in Moscow on Thursday that the previous day - that would be Wednesday - he was interrogated in his Moscow apartment by officers of the Russian State Security Service, the FSB. According to Mr. Handler, his interrogation lasted approximately seven hours.
• WASHINGTON, DC -- TARGET OF TERRORISTS "FBI, This Week" ABC Radio Program 29 October 1999 -- Washington, D.C. is unique in the world, I think, and it makes it one of the primary, if not the primary target, on any given day."
• Transcript: McCaffrey, So. American Ambassadors Brief at EU USIA 27 October 1999 -- Barry R. McCaffrey, director of the U.S. office of national drug control policy, says there has been excellent cooperation between the United States and Europe in various anti-drug efforts, including law enforcement, intelligence sharing, and interdiction.
• "THE CODE BOOK,' BY SIMON SINGH Voice of America 27 October 1999 -- Quantum cryptography is a new form of code. It is thought to be absolutely unbreakable. People have said this through the centuries that a code is unbreakable. But this seems to be truly, truly unbreakable.
• LATAM/CORRUPTION STUDY Voice of America 27 October 1999 -- An international non-governmental group that measures corruption world-wide says there has been little improvement during the past year in Latin America.
• PURSUING BIN LADEN Voice of America 26 October 1999 -- U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says normal relations can resume between the United States and Afghanistan if the Taleban movement, which controls most of the country, expels terror suspect Osama bin Laden.
• CORRUPTION INDEX Voice of America 26 October 1999 -- A new study shows companies from leading exporting countries are widely seen as using bribes to win business in developing nations.
• Transparency International Issues 1999 Corruption Rankings By Phillip Kurata USIA 26 October 1999 -- Transparency International (TI) has published a list of 19 major exporting countries ranked in the order that their corporations are perceived to be paying bribes to foreign officials.
• Mitrokhin Archive Commons Hansard Debates for Thursday 21 Oct 1999 -- Thousands of leads from Mr. Mitrokhin's material have been followed up world wide. As a result, our intelligence and security agencies, in co-operation with allied Governments, have been able to put a stop to many security threats. Many unsolved investigations have been closed; many earlier suspicions confirmed; and some names and reputations have been cleared. Our intelligence and security agencies have assessed the value of Mr. Mitrokhin's material world wide as immense.
• COMMUNIQUE Ministerial Conference of the G-8 Countries on Combating Transnational Organized Crime (Moscow, October 19-20,1999) -- We are promoting acceptance among other members of the international community of recommendations developed by our experts for combating transnational organized crime (Lyon Group Forty Recommendations).
• Australia and New Zealand Join International Computer Security Product Arrangement NSA PRESS RELEASE 18 October 1999 -- Australia and New Zealand signed an Arrangement on the Mutual Recognition of Common Criteria Certificates. This brings to seven the number of nations that have agreed to recognize each other's security product evaluations.
• TALEBAN / BIN LADEN Voice of America 16 October 1999 -- Afghanistan's Taleban movement has rejected a United Nations demand to hand over suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden for trial.
• STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT October 15, 1999 -- I applaud the U.N. Security Council for taking a strong stand against international terrorism today and demanding that the Taliban stop harboring Usama bin Ladin.
• Text: UN Security Council Adopts Limited Sanctions Against Taliban USIA 15 October 1999 -- The UNSC demanded that the Taliban turn over Usama bin Laden "without further delay to appropriate authorities in a country where he has been indicted, or to appropriate authorities in a country where he will be returned to such a country, or to appropriate authorities in acountry where he will be arrested and effectively brought to justice."
• SECURITY COUNCIL DEMANDS THAT TALIBAN TURN OVER USAMA BIN LADEN TO APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES Press Release SC/6739 - 15 October 1999 -- Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Security Council this afternoon demanded that the Afghan faction, known as the Taliban, turn over Usama bin Laden to appropriate authorities in a country where he would be brought to justice.
• The CIA's Operation Hollywood By Vernon Loeb Washington Post Thursday, October 14, 1999; Page C01 -- Advocates for increased openness and accountability remain skeptical. "We've actually seen a reduction in openness and accountability when it comes to the most important criterion, which is the amount of money that we spend on intelligence," said Steven Aftergood, director of the Federation of American Scientists' project on government secrecy.
• Text: McCaffrey Praises "Superb" U.S.-Colombia Anti-Drug CooperationUSIA 14 October 1999 -- Following the success of the joint U.S.-Colombian anti-druginvestigation called "Operation Millenium," White House Office ofNational Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Barry McCaffrey iscalling for additional cooperation in the fight against illegal drugtrafficking.
• U-S COLOMBIA DRUGS Voice of America 13 October 1999 -- U-S and Colombian officials announced a major drug crackdown Wednesday, including the arrest of a man authorities describe as a key player in a leading Colombian drug cartel.
• Text: U.S. and Colombian Authorities Deal Major Blow to Drug Traffickers USIA 13 October 1999 -- Colombian authorities have arrested 30 drug traffickers and moneylaunderers as part of a joint U.S.-Colombian investigation named"Operation Millenium," U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno announced October 13. An additional suspect was captured in Mexico by Mexicanauthorities.
• U.S, RUSSIA FIGHT BIN LADIN Voice of America 12 October 1999 -- With Russia's backing, the U-S introduced a draft resolution in the United Nations Security Council that would impose an air embargo and financial sanctions on Afghanistan unless it surrenders the international terrorist, Osama bin Laden.
• KASHMIRI GROUP Voice of America 12 October 1999 -- A militant Islamic group whose activists are fighting in Kashmir and Afghanistan has condemned a U-S declaration calling it a terrorist group.
• ITALY - K-G-B- SPIES Voice of America 12 October 1999 -- Italy's prime minister says his government will not be weakened by publication of a list of names of alleged Italian spies for the Soviet K-G-B during the cold war.
• TERROR GROUPS Voice of America 8 October 1999 -- The shadowy group headed by Saudi-born terror suspect Osama Bin Laden has made it onto the State Department's newest list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Three other notorious groups have been dropped from the list.
• EMBASSY TERROR ARREST / U-S Voice of America 8 October 1999 -- Another man arrested in connection with last year's attacks on U-S embassies in Tanzania and Kenya -- bombings that killed 224 people -- was arraigned in a U-S federal court in New York today (Friday).
• TERRORISM AGAINST THE U-S Voice of America 08 October 1999 -- Terrorism, especially involving weapons of mass destruction, is the greatest danger facing the United States in the opinion of many analysts. The nation is more vulnerable than ever to fanatics determined to strike the only remaining super-power. Is terrorism a response to U.S. intervention around the world?
• SAF ARRESTS Voice of America 08 October 1999 -- In a joint operation, U-S and South African authorities are reported to have arrested one or more suspects in connection with last year's U-S Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed more than 200 people.
• OSI officials lead counterintelligence program (AFPN) 08 October 1999 -- AFOSI is responsible for identifying and countering all human intelligence targeting of Air Force personnel and information. The AFOSI agents also safeguard resources, and prevent sabotage, subversion, terrorism and major security violations.
• Text: U.S. Releases Government Files on Pinochet Era in Chile USIA 08 October 1999 -- U.S. agencies are releasing newly declassified files related to eventsin Chile from 1968-1978, as part of a review of government documentsdealing with human rights and other abuses during the Pinochet era,the White House announced October 8.
• C-I-A / SILICON VALLEY Voice of America 6 October 1999 -- In a unique experiment, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (C-I-A) has set up a company to invest in high-tech companies in California's Silicon Valley.
• U-N - U-S - AFGHANISTAN Voice of America 06 October 1999 -- The United States is (Wednesday) asking the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions on Afghanistan's Taleban movement - which is in effective control of the country. Washington is also demanding that the Taleban hand over suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden.
• COAST GUARD SEIZURES Voice of America 06 October 1999 -- The U-S Coast Guard is reporting a record year for drug interdiction, with vast amounts of cocaine and other narcotics seized in and around U-S territorial waters. The Coast Guard has added a new weapon to its anti-drug arsenal: armed helicopters that can intercept and disable narcotics-carrying vessels.
• COLOMBIA DRUGS Voice of America 06 October 1999 -- The Clinton administration has expressed support for a Senate initiative for more U-S involvement in the fight against drug trafficking in Colombia. Analysts told a Senate hearing (Wednesday) that the South American nation is losing its long war against the drug cartels and the leftist guerrillas that support them.
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing 05 October 1999 -- TERRORISM -- / Status of Investigation of the Attack at Khobar / Contact with Iran / Saudi Arabia Cooperation with FBI / Justice Department's Decision to Remove Hani El-Sayegh / State Department's Issuance of Worldwide Caution
• U-S - SAUDI BOMBING Voice of America 05 October 1999 -- The United States is deporting to Saudi Arabia a suspect in the 1996 bombing of a U-S military base there that killed 19 American servicemen. At the same time, U-S officials say they will continue their investigation into the incident until those responsible are brought to justice.
• DRUG CZAR IN L-A Voice of America 05 October 1999 -- U-S Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey, who is visiting Los Angeles, says the United States and Mexico are cooperating effectively in the war on drugs. Correspondent Mike O'Sullivan reports the official encouraged students, and enlisted the help of an athlete, in the fight against substance abuse.
• Text: Federal Reserve on Cyber-Terrorism, Cyber-CrimeUSIA 04 October 1999 -- A member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Roger Ferguson, says the Fed supports the creation of a financial information exchange center to protect the U.S. banking and financial services industry from terrorists and criminals.
• Record Amount of Cocaine Seized by U.S. Coast GuardUSIA 04 October 1999 -- In an October 4 statement issued from its Miami district office, theCoast Guard said 111,689 pounds (nearly 50,800 kgs) were seized in the1999 fiscal year, representing a 35-percent increase over 1998, when the Coast Guard seized 82,623 pounds (36,980 kgs) of cocaine.
• EMBASSY ATTACK Voice of America 03 October 1999 -- The peaceful end to the Burmese Embassy hostage drama in Thailand has again put the spotlight back on Burma's militarygovernment and its policy on human rights. there are warnings the Embassy raid may trigger more acts of desperation amid few signs of political reform in Burma.
• Text: Presidential Determination on Counter-Drug Assistance USIA 01 October 1999 -- President Clinton has issued a memorandum to the attorney general and to the secretaries of several federal agencies to provide appropiate assistance to Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Panama in their efforts to fight the illegal drug trade, the White House announced September 30.
• SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 22ND NATIONAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS SECURITY CONFERENCE NSA PRESS RELEASE 1 October 1999 -- The National Information Systems Security Conference provides a unique international forum that addresses today's hottest information systems security issues. The Conference attracts more than 2,000 participants.