Attorney General Reno's Weekly Media Briefing, Oct. 19

WEEKLY MEDIA AVAILABILITY
WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
WASHINGTON, D.C. 9:30 A.M. EDT
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2000


Q: If I could go back to Yemen for just one second, and sort of in a
different context; you talked about doing everything you can to bring
people responsible to justice. The people that were responsible for
the embassy bombings two years ago are still at large; Osama bin Laden
is still at large.


How do you -- how difficult will it be for the United States to pursue
this kind of thing if international terrorists are involved? In making
these statements about doing everything you can -- we will bring these
people to justice -- how is that possible? Osama bin Laden has eluded
U.S. authorities for two years or more.


ATTY GEN. RENO: What I will do is see what would be appropriate for us
to comment on in terms of the pending prosecutions and the status of
those in custody for the embassy bombings.


I think this is an example, again, that we are going to proceed, we're
going to be successful -- sooner in some cases than in others -- but
we're not going to stop. And this country will not stop until people
are brought to justice, both for the embassy crimes and for this one.


Q: The enemies of the United States that perpetrate these atrocities
have been finding some angle, some openings for their attacks. They've
done this on a number of occasions now -- cases that either -- that
haven't been solved. And I just wonder if the United States needs to
look at its vulnerabilites again, especially overseas vulnerabilities,
and eliminate more of the avenues of attack?


ATTY GEN. RENO: I think Secretary of State Albright has spoken out
very forcefully about the need the ensure the security of the
embassies around the world. And I would refer you to the State
Department to see the status of that effort.


I think everyone realizes that we must do everything we can,
consistent with peoples' right to come and go as Americans. And you
cannot, as I have said on previous occasions, rule out every
opportunity for terrorism and violence. But we must take reasonable
and thoughtful steps to do so.


At the same time, we have shown that we can solve crimes and identify
people responsible, and charge them; and in some instances obtain
custody of them and bring them to justice. And we've done that
sometimes after a lapse of time; it's sometimes taken longer than in
other situations. But we don't stop until it's done.


Q: Do you think we ought to go to Afghanistan, and the United States
physically find and apprehend Bin Laden?


ATTY GEN. RENO: I would not comment.

....

Q: Along the same lines of Pete's first question about just responding
to the incident, following the bombing -- the embassy bombings in
Africa, there was concern about the length of time that it took for
investigators to get on the scene, and there was a lot of discussion
about whether military resources were being made available to law
enforcement. In this case, are you satisfied with the ability to
respond quickly enough, or where you troubled by some of the delays in
getting the bulk of the force there? And do you attribute that in any
way to problems of military transportation, which had been a problem
in the past?


ATTY GEN. RENO: Any time you try to send people halfway around the
world to investigate something like this, the logistics of what you
need -- investigators, people with linguistic capabilities, people
with real specialities, whether it be the bomb squad or evidence
recovery teams -- trying to respond appropriately is a job for a top-
flight organizer. And trying to match that with planes is, again, a
complex job. But I am impressed with what we are doing in terms of
getting people there, getting them into facilities that are safe. I
continue to check with the Bureau, because I want to do everything I
can to ensure their safety.