Bush Administration Announces Plan for Terrorists “Watch List”

By Mike Nartker
Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration yesterday announced plans to create a new center to provide officials with a consolidated “watch list” of suspected terrorists (see GSN, Aug. 21).

The Terrorist Screening Center (TSC), established in a homeland security presidential directive signed yesterday by U.S. President George W. Bush, is scheduled to become operational Dec. 1.  The new center will provide “‘one-stop shopping’ so that every federal antiterrorist screener is working off the same page,” U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said yesterday.

The U.S. State Department’s TIPOFF program, which contains the names of over 100,000 potential terrorists, will form the basis for the new center’s database, according to Secretary of State Colin Powell.  The center is also set to receive information from the Terrorist Threat Integration Center, which was created earlier this year to help improve information sharing among U.S. counterterrorism agencies, according to a Homeland Security Department fact sheet.  In addition, the FBI will also provide the TSC with information on purely domestic terrorism. 

After receiving information from U.S. agencies, the TSC will then prepare a single, unclassified database that will be accessible to U.S., state and local agencies for screening purposes, the Homeland Security fact sheet said.

“The job of the new Terrorist Screening Center is to make sure we get this information out to our agents on the borders and all those who can put it to use on the front lines — and to get it there fast,” Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said.

The new center will be operated by the FBI  “because of the bureau’s technical experience in watch list integration,” the Homeland Security fact sheet said.  A Homeland Security official is set to become the principal deputy director of the center.  In addition to the FBI and Homeland Security and State, the Justice Department and the U.S. intelligence community are also expected to participate in the center.

Currently, at least nine separate U.S. agencies maintain their own lists of potential terrorists.  The Bush administration has come under criticism by congressional Democrats for delays in establishing a unified list, which Homeland Security officials have previously blamed on technical problems (see GSN, Aug. 14). 

Representative Jane Harman (D-Calif.) yesterday praised the administration’s plans to move forward on the creation of a unified database.

“Since 9/11, I and other Democrats have repeatedly recommended the administration develop a comprehensive watch list to help all relevant agencies keep terrorists out of our country,” Harman, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a press statement.  “Today’s announcement finally begins to implement this critical recommendation to enhance our homeland security,” she said.

Homeland Security yesterday sought to reduce concerns that the new center might infringe on civil liberties by saying that center will only consolidate information provided by other agencies.  In addition, the use of information compiled by the center will be subject to the same legal limitations as if it had not been included in the center’s database, according to the department.

“The creation of the TSC does not provide any new law enforcement or collection powers to any government official; it simply consolidates information that law enforcement, the intelligence community, the State Department, and others already possess and makes it accessible for query to those who need it — federal security screeners, state and local law enforcement officers and others,” the Homeland Security fact sheet said.

The New York Times reported today, however, that some civil rights groups believe the creation of an integrated terrorist watch list should have been handled by Congress and not by law enforcement and intelligence officials.

“There needs to be some public discussion about what criteria are going to be used to determine who is really considered a terrorism suspect,” said Kate Martin, director of George Washington University’s Center for National Security Studies, told the Times.  “This proposal has no safeguards built into it,” she said.

Back to top

Cheney Criticized for Hints of Iraqi Role in Sept. 11, 2001 Attacks

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has come under criticism for suggesting that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein may have been connected to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the Boston Globe reported today (see GSN, Sept. 15).

During an appearance Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, Cheney said the Bush administration is learning “more and more” about pre-Sept. 11 connections between Iraq and al-Qaeda.  “We learn more and more that there was a relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda that stretched back through most of the decade of the ‘90s,” he said.

Some congressional Democrats and intelligence analysts, however, have criticized Cheney for his allegations, the Globe reported.

“There is no credible evidence that Saddam Hussein had anything to do with 9/11,” said Senator Bob Graham (D-Fla.).  “There was no such relationship,” he said.

Cheney’s “willingness to use speculation and conjecture as facts in public presentations is appalling.  It’s astounding,” said former CIA counterterrorism specialist Vincent Cannistraro.

White House officials yesterday said they are learning more about various al-Qaeda ties to Iraq.  For example, there is evidence of a possible meeting between the head of Iraqi intelligence and terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden in Sudan in the mid-1990s, they said.  During another purported meeting in Afghanistan, Iraqi officials offered to provide biological and chemical weapons training, according to officials familiar with transcripts of interrogations of captured al-Qaeda operatives.

A recent Washington Post poll found that about 70 percent of Americans believe that Hussein probably had some connection to the Sept. 11 attacks, the Globe reported (Kornblut/Bender, Boston Globe, Sept. 16).

Back to top

Syria Rejects U.S. WMD, Threat Allegations

Syria has rejected allegations recently made by several senior Bush administration officials that it poses a security concern to the United States, CNN.com reported today (see GSN, Sept. 16).

Yesterday, Undersecretary of State John Bolton gave congressional testimony describing U.S. intelligence concerns over Syria’s alleged WMD programs.  Bolton also said Syria had taken “a series of hostile actions,” such as allowing guerrillas and weapons to move into Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom (CNN.com, Sept. 17).

During an appearance on ABC’s Nightline, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice described Syria as “a country with which we continue to have a number of problems.”

“We don’t really feel they’re meeting the mark, but we continue to press the Syrians,” Rice said (Harry Dunphy, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Sept. 16).

In addition, White House press secretary Scott McClellan yesterday reiterated U.S. concerns surrounding Syria’s WMD efforts and support for terrorism. 

“There are a number of longstanding concerns that we have with regards to Syria.  They know our views, they know what needs to be done.  And we will continue to make clear what our view is,” McClellan said (U.S. State Department release, Sept. 16).

Syria, however, has rejected the recent U.S. criticism, saying it has actively cooperated against terrorism, according to CNN.com.

“Syria was acknowledged by the U.S. to be one of the best countries who cooperated against terrorism in the aftermath of Sept. 11,” Syrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Buthania Shaaban said.  “Syria is known for its historical stand against terrorism.  I think what’s worrying is the misinformation that seems to be getting to the United States,” Shaaban said (CNN.com).

Back to top

Iraq Probably Destroyed Weapons of Mass Destruction in 1991, Blix Says

Former U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix is becoming increasingly convinced that Iraq destroyed most of its stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction in 1991, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, Sept. 16).

“I’m certainly more and more to the conclusion that Iraq has, as they maintained, destroyed all, almost, of what they had in the summer of 1991,” Blix said in an interview with Australian Broadcasting Corp.  ‘The more time that has passed, the more I think it’s unlikely that anything will be found,” he said.

Blix also said that that Iraq might have continued to insist that it possessed weapons of mass destruction, even after destroying them, for a deterrence effect (see GSN, June 23).

“I mean, you can put up a sign on your door, ‘Beware of the Dog,’ without having a dog,” Blix said (Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Sept. 17).

Missing Tuwaitha Material Poses Little Risk, Iraqi Scientists Say

Meanwhile, Iraqi scientists yesterday said that most of the radioactive materials looted from the Tuwaitha nuclear complex in Baghdad, the main site in Iraq’s former nuclear program, were too low in radiation to be used to build weapons and had been recovered, according to the Associated Press.

One of the scientists, Abbas Balasem, also said that Iraq lacked the resources to revive its nuclear weapons program following the 1991 Gulf War.

“There was no way to revive those attempts,” Balasem said.  “There was nothing left,” he added (George Jahn, Associated Press/Boston Globe, Sept. 17).

Back to top

Bolton Travels to Moscow to Discuss Proliferation Security Initiative

U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton left for Moscow yesterday to discuss a U.S.-led effort to interdict shipments of WMD-related cargo (see GSN, Sept. 15).

The “primary purpose” of Bolton’s two-day visit to Russia is to discuss issues related to the Proliferation Security Initiative, U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said yesterday (U.S. State Department release, Sept. 16).  Four PSI members — Australia, France, Japan and the United States — recently conducted a naval interdiction exercise off the coast of Australia.

In addition, Australian Defense Minister Robert Hill is scheduled to travel to China and Japan next week for talks on the initiative, according to Agence France-Presse.  China’s opposition to the effort has begun to weaken after presentations from U.S. and Australian officials, AFP reported.  Sources have also said that China, along with Russia, would be approached to take part in further planned initiative exercises (Agence France-Presse/SpaceWar.com, Sept. 17).

Back to top

Russia, Iran Vow to Continue Nuclear Activities; Spent Fuel Pact Nears

Russia yesterday reaffirmed its intention to continue providing nuclear assistance to Iran despite uncertainty over whether Tehran will cooperate with international efforts to learn more about its nuclear activities (see GSN, Sept. 15).

“Russia does not see any reason for stopping its cooperation with Iran in the nuclear sphere, because Iran does not violate any provisions of international law,” said Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev, speaking to reporters yesterday in Vienna at an annual meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The agency’s Board of Governors last week set an Oct. 31 deadline for Iran to clarify several features of its nuclear program that have raised questions about its compliance with international nuclear nonproliferation rules (see GSN, Sept. 12).

Despite the agency’s concerns and U.S. pressure, Russia would proceed with its project to build and fuel a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power reactor in Iran, Rumyantsev said.

“While the IAEA resolution on the nuclear program of Iran was drafted, U.S. representatives hinted to us that it would be better for Russia to withdraw from Iran,” he said.  “We asked them to explain to us why we should do that, but we got no clear answer,” he added (Channel NewsAsia, Sept. 17).

Iranian officials have said Tehran would not cease cooperation with the IAEA, as was once considered, but they have not indicated if Iran would provide all the information requested in Friday’s resolution.

Opinion appears to be divided within Iran over how much cooperation to offer, but officials there agree that Iranian nuclear activities will continue, according to reports (Agence France-Presse/IranMania.com, Sept. 17).

“Our slogan for the atomic bomb and weapons of mass destruction is ‘No, no, no,’ but for advanced technology, including peaceful nuclear technology is ‘Yes, yes, yes,’” Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said Monday.

“No one can stop us from our path,” he said, adding, “We do not want atomic and nuclear technology for destroying others” (Agence France-Presse/SpaceWar.com, Sept. 15).

Spent Fuel Agreement

Rumyantsev also said yesterday that Moscow and Tehran were close to signing an agreement for Iran to return the spent fuel from its reactor to Russia. 

“We will agree,” he said.  “We don’t have any contradictions,” he added.

The largest remaining obstacle was deciding who should sign the agreement and where, he said.  Iranian officials were scheduled to visit Moscow in the next few days to discuss the issue, Rumyantsev said.

Another issue, deciding which nation would be responsible for paying for the spent fuel transport and storage, could be resolved after the agreement was signed, he said (see GSN, Sept. 10).

If Tehran insisted on charging Russia for the spent fuel transport and storage, then Russia would probably increase “the price for the fresh fuel,” Rumyantsev said (George Jahn, Associated Press/Moscow Times, Sept. 17).

Back to top

Senate Funds Nuclear Weapon Research in Approving Energy Bill

The U.S. Senate yesterday approved the Bush administration’s full request for research into new types of nuclear weapons, rejecting a Democratic effort to eliminate funding for those and other nuclear weapon activities (see GSN, Sept. 16).

The Senate voted 53-41 to reject an amendment offered by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) that would have eliminated $21 million requested by the Bush administration to explore earth-penetrating and low-yield nuclear weapons.  Their amendment would also have delayed site selection for a new plutonium “pit” production facility and ended an effort to reduce the time needed to prepare for resuming nuclear testing.

The Senate did approve, however, a measure offered by Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) to limit the funding to research activities only, thereby requiring the administration to request additional approval if it wishes to enter a development phase.

After killing the Feinstein-Kennedy amendment and approving the Reed measure, the Senate voted 92-0 to pass the $27.3 billion fiscal 2004 energy and water appropriations bill, setting up a House-Senate negotiation to resolve differences between their versions of the bill (Dewar/Pincus, Washington Post, Sept. 17).

Feinstein and Kennedy said they would continue their effort to cut the funding during the House-Senate conference (Carl Hulse, New York Times, Sept. 17).

While the Senate approved the full administration request — specifically $15 million for the earth-penetrating weapon, $6 million for the low-yield weapon, $22.8 million for the plutonium facility and $24 million for nuclear test readiness — the U.S. House of Representatives slashed those numbers earlier this year.  It reduced funding for the earth-penetrator and the plutonium plant to $5 million and $10 million, respectively, and eliminated funds for the low-yield weapon and the test site (George Lobsenz, Energy Daily, Sept. 17).

The differing positions suggest that the administration will receive at least some the funding it is seeking, according to the Washington Post.

Senate debate prior to yesterday’s vote focused on whether the administration plans were a step toward building and deploying new nuclear weapons, a move that Democrats argued would promote nuclear proliferation. 

“The last thing the world needs is to have the United States start playing Lone Range with nuclear weapons,” Kennedy said in a news conference yesterday.  “How can we demand that North Korea and Iran abandon their nuclear weapons programs while we develop a new generation of those weapons ourselves?” he added (Dewar/Pincus, Washington Post).

Republicans countered that the bill would only fund research to prepare the United States for future contingencies.

“There’s nothing in this bill that produces a single new nuclear weapon,” said Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M.).

Feinstein, however, said the money would move the United States in that direction.

“This is the beginning,” she said.  “This money will go to field a new generation of nuclear weapons.  We should not do this,” she added (Nick Anderson, Los Angeles Times, Sept. 17).

Back to top

Chinese Delegation Set to Visit North Korea This Week

A Chinese delegation led by parliamentary chairman Wu Bangguo is set to visit North Korea later this week, a diplomatic source said today (see GSN, Sept. 16).

The source said the delegation is expected to travel to Pyongyang Sept. 20 on a North Korean airline flight.  The trip is unofficial and details of its itinerary are being kept secret, the source said.

“It is highly likely that this visit will serve as a turning point in North Korea-China relations,” the source said (Yonhap news agency/BBC Monitoring, Sept. 17).

Meanwhile, South Korean opposition leader Choe Byung-yul called for the end of food and energy assistance to North Korea if six-nation talks fail to resolve the crisis surrounding Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.

“It would be great if we could find a solution just through dialogue, but the nuclear issue is not one we can just drag on,” said Choe, chairman of the Grand National Party.

Tens of thousands of North Koreans have fled into China because of a lack of food, but there have been fewer deaths from starvation within North Korea because of international food aid, according to Choe.

“That’s why some people point out that perhaps the easiest pressure point or the most fatal pressure that anyone could impose on North Korea to resolve the nuclear issue is to cut off food aid,” he said.

Sanctions against North Korea would be ineffective, however, without Chinese participation, Choe said.  “If China cuts off food aid and energy supply, that could seriously jeopardize North Korea,” he said (Sharon Behn, Washington Times, Sept. 17).

Back to top

Soldiers, Families Ask Pentagon to Investigate Pneumonia Cases More Thoroughly

U.S. soldiers who have experienced pneumonia-like symptoms have complained that the U.S. Defense Department has not adequately investigated whether vaccines they received played a role in their illnesses, United Press International reported yesterday (see GSN, Sept. 10).

Some of the ill soldiers have said they started suffering pneumonia-like symptoms after receiving vaccines, particularly the anthrax vaccine, according to UPI.  Air Force Staff Sgt. Neal Erickson said he was hospitalized at Incerlik Air Force Base in Turkey in March 10 days after receiving the fourth in a series of anthrax vaccinations.  He said that he received another anthrax vaccination in August and 10 days later was hospitalized again with the same symptoms.

Erickson said the Pentagon has not considered that the vaccines are what made him ill and that he is now afraid of receiving the next planned anthrax vaccination, scheduled in five months.

“I’m real touchy here.  Come a few more months, I’m in line to get another.  It’s not like we have a choice in the matter,” he said.

The Pentagon is currently investigating an outbreak of 19 pneumonia cases among U.S. troops in southwestern Asia.  Statistical analysis has indicated that vaccinated military personnel are no more likely to develop pneumonia as those who have not been vaccinated, said Pentagon officials.  They added that there is also little evidence that military personnel are more likely to develop pneumonia after being vaccinated.

“We knew beforehand that the rate of pneumonia in anthrax-vaccinated people and in anthrax-unvaccinated people were essentially the same, so our starting point was that this was unlikely,” said Col. John Grabenstein, deputy director of the Military Vaccine Office (Mark Benjamin, United Press International, Sept. 16).

Back to top

U.S., Iowa Authorities Investigate Pesticide Theft

U.S. and Iowa authorities are investigating the theft of a 50-pound canister of methyl bromide, a pesticide that could be dangerous in terrorist hands, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, May 23, 2002).

Local law enforcement officials in Urbandale, Iowa, discovered the theft Monday night.  The canister, which belongs to a local extermination company, was found to be missing from a machine shed.  Officials from the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Iowa Homeland Security Emergency Management Division are among those participating in the investigation.

Retired U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent Dan McBride said the chemical, which is used to kill rats and insects, could also be attractive to would-be terrorists.

“If it lands in the hands of somebody that’s classified as a terrorist, in concentrated forms it could be very lethal,” McBride said.

Donald Lewis, an entomologist at Iowa State University, said he believed that the culprit was probably more interested in killing insects than in conducting acts of terrorism (Associated Press, Sept. 17).

Back to top