30 April 1999
Source: http://www.usia.gov/cgi-bin/washfile/display.pl?p=/products/washfile/latest&f=9904302.plt&t=/products/washfile/newsitem.shtml

USIS Washington File
_________________________________

30 April 1999

### FBI'S WATSON CITES EFFORTS TO COMBAT TERRORIST ATTACK

    (Says weapons of mass destruction pose real threat to U.S.) (1740)

    Washington -- The FBI's focus in counterproliferation efforts is "the
    identification, penetration, and neutralization" of WMD (Weapons of
    Mass Destruction) proliferation activities, an agency counterterrorism
    official says.

    Testifying April 29 before the Commission to Assess the Organization
    of the Federal Government to Combat the Proliferation of Weapons of
    Mass Destruction, Deputy Assistant Director Dale Watson stated that
    "it is possible to reduce the susceptibility to WMD terrorist attack
    by taking security precautions, remaining vigilant in pursuing WMD
    terrorist activity, and improving preventive measures, as well as
    civil preparedness."

    Watson cautioned that "the threat of WMD use in the United States is
    real, however, we must not inflate or understate the actual threat."

    Addressing the success of the FBI's counterterrorism program, Watson
    said the agency has "uncovered a significant number of attempts by
    foreign powers to obtain U.S. technology for their own WMD development
    programs."

    Following is the text of Watson's statement as prepared for delivery:

    (begin text)

    Thank you for this opportunity to discuss the FBI's Weapons of Mass
    Destruction counterproliferation efforts with you today.

    I'd like to start by highlighting our position on WMD proliferation.
    The FBI views the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as a
    serious threat to national security and has developed a broad-based
    program to counter it both from a proactive standpoint and from a
    response standpoint.

    We define WMD proliferation like the rest of the U.S.
    counterproliferation community as the spread of nuclear, chemical or
    biological weapons, and/or their means of delivery. We also recognize
    that because WMD proliferation often centers on the United States as a
    source of the technology needed for a foreign power's WMD development
    program, the FBI has a responsibility under its foreign
    counterintelligence (FCI) programs to investigate this exploitation.

    The mission of all the FBI's WMD-oriented programs is the prevention
    of the malevolent use and/or proliferation of WMD, to include
    chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, through foreign
    counterintelligence investigations, criminal/counterterrorism
    investigations, international cooperation, and proactive domestic
    programs. Our WMD-related investigations attempt to prevent the
    acquisition or use of WMD devices by terrorists or others, uncover the
    breadth of U.S.-based proliferation activity, determine the modus
    operandi of proliferators, and develop operations to eliminate the
    activities of proliferators operating within the United States.

    Of course, our counterproliferation activities represent only one
    element of the counterproliferation activities of the U.S. government.
    To clarify and specify the FBI's role let me summarize it by stating
    that our focus is on the identification, penetration, and
    neutralization of WMD proliferation activities involving U.S.
    entities.

    The Bureau has several initiatives underway to identify the threat of
    WMD proliferation and to hamper the ability of others to obtain
    materials, equipment, information or technology from the U.S. for use
    in WMD development. In this forum, only a general discussion is
    possible to highlight our findings.

    The FBI aggressively investigates all alleged criminal activities
    involving nuclear, chemical or biological material, as well as all
    alleged attempts to obtain information or technology for WMD
    development by countries of proliferation concern. We have several
    major efforts in this area to help us facilitate the use of the large
    volume of information that is available concerning allegations of
    proliferation activity involving U.S. entities. These initiatives have
    allowed the FBI to develop an initial picture of the scope and breadth
    of proliferation activities occurring within the United States and
    should help facilitate a proactive program to help the law enforcement
    community halt those activities.

    We have uncovered a significant number of attempts by foreign powers
    to obtain U.S. technology for their WMD development programs. In some
    cases, the technology targeted had direct WMD device application, but
    by far the predominant number of cases involved dual-use, or general
    purpose technology that helped foreign powers develop the
    infrastructure required for a WMD development program. Often, U.S.
    firms and individuals are unwitting participants because of the use of
    front companies and overseas intermediaries to conceal the identities
    of the actual end users.

    However, there is limited evidence that some proliferant countries are
    relying on witting U.S.-based procurement agents to acquire equipment
    on behalf of their WMD programs. Overall, our cases demonstrate that
    U.S.-based WMD proliferation is widespread and highlight the need to
    better address the exploitation of U.S. technology that is occurring
    in foreign power WMD development.

    I'd like to point out that we could not have developed as clear an
    understanding of the WMD proliferation threat if not for the
    cooperation of our intelligence community and law enforcement
    partners. We routinely work with both to exchange information and
    ensure U.S.-based proliferation investigations are coordinated among
    agencies. Often, these investigations have overlapping investigative
    jurisdiction between the FBI, the U.S. customs service, and the
    Department of Commerce. Therefore, our headquarter's
    counterproliferation program has agents detailed from both of those
    agencies who work as part of our U.S. law enforcement
    counterproliferation team.

    A second proactive counterproliferation initiative I want to mention
    is the DOD/FBI counterproliferation assistance program. Congress
    mandated this program after recognizing the serious threats to U.S.
    national security posed by WMD proliferation. Congress provided
    authority, through the National Defense Authorization act of fiscal
    year 1995, for up to $10 million in reprogrammed Department of Defense
    funds.

    These funds were to be used in the development and implementation of a
    counterproliferation assistance program intended to train and equip
    foreign law enforcement personnel to detect, prevent, and investigate
    incidents involving the illegal trafficking in WMD, and to improve
    U.S. efforts to deter the possible proliferation and acquisition of
    WMD by organized criminal groups and individuals in Eastern Europe,
    the Baltic states and countries of the former Soviet Union.

    So far, we have provided basic law enforcement counterproliferation
    training for government officials from Kazakhstan, Krygystan, Georgia,
    Uzbekistan, and Moldova and are counting to plans to engage additional
    countries. This program is intended to assist in the establishment of
    a professional cadre of international law enforcement personnel who
    are trained to detect, deter, and investigate any aspect of crimes
    related to the proliferation and diversion of nuclear, biological, and
    chemical weapons and their delivery systems, as well as illicit trade
    in related materials. The DOD-FBI counterproliferation program also
    calls for the provision of a certain amount of detection equipment, as
    appropriate, and the examination of the legal systems of these
    countries to suggest improvements to their ability to prosecute those
    involved in illegal proliferation activities.

    The final area of our WMD responsibilities I want to mention today
    involves the operational response to a WMD terrorist incident. Within
    the United States, the FBI has been assigned the lead role in
    responding to acts of WMD terrorism or other criminal-related
    incidents in which the FBI maintains jurisdiction. The FBI derives its
    fundamental legal jurisdiction to deter, investigate, direct,
    organize, and prepare for a WMD incident from an assortment of federal
    statutes and Presidential Decision Directive 39.

    Terrorist events such as the World Trade Center bombing, the bombing
    of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, and the
    pipe bomb at the Olympic Games in Atlanta revealed the United States'
    increased susceptibility to terrorist assaults. These attacks, coupled
    with the March 1995 Tokyo subway attack, where the weapon of choice
    was the chemical nerve agent sarin, exposed the threat of use of WMD
    within the United States. The threat of WMD use in the United States
    is real, however, we must not inflate nor understate the actual
    threat. The United States is experiencing an increased number of
    hoaxes involving the use of chemical or biological agents perpetrated
    by individuals wishing to instill fear and disrupt communities.
    Yesterday's bomb threat has been replaced with a more exotic
    biological or chemical threat. While the FBI continues to investigate
    these hoaxes, other on-going investigations reveal that domestic
    extremists, as well as international terrorists with open anti-U.S.
    sentiments, are becoming more interested in the potential use of
    chemical and biological agents.

    Examining the increased number of WMD criminal cases the FBI has
    opened over the past several years highlights the potential threat of
    use we face. WMD criminal cases are those cases primarily dealing with
    the use, threatened use, or procurement of chemical and biological
    materials with intent to harm within the United States. These criminal
    cases have shown a steady increase since 1995, rising from 37 in 1996
    to 74 in 1997, 181 in 1998, and 114 to date for 1999, with
    three-quarters of these cases threatening a biological release. The
    biological agent most often cited in 1998 and 1999 was anthrax.

    Despite the increase in fabricated threats, the WMD threat remains.
    Since the early 199Os the FBI has investigated a number of domestic
    extremist groups and associated individuals interested in procuring or
    ready to employ chemical or biological agents against innocent
    civilians. In February 1999, members of a right-wing splinter group
    were sentenced to 292 months (over 24 years) in prison for threatening
    to use a weapon of mass destruction against federal officials. These
    individuals intended to modify a cigarette lighter in order to shoot
    cactus quills tainted with HIV-blood or rabies.

    It is impossible to eliminate all vulnerabilities in an open society
    without taking draconian measures that impinge on civil liberties.
    However, it is possible to reduce susceptibility to WMD terrorist
    attacks by taking security precautions, remaining vigilant in pursuing
    WMD terrorist activity, and improving preventive measures, as well as
    civil preparedness. The FBI is currently undertaking all of these
    steps. The United States is preparing itself for unconventional
    threats like WMD terrorism by coordinating federal, state, and local
    law enforcement and emergency responders in their ability to ferret
    the fabricated threats and meet the challenges posed by a potential
    chemical or biological terrorist attack.

    It is important to recognize the breadth of The Bureau's activities in
    the WMD counterproliferation and counterterrorism areas. The FBI works
    through our FCI, criminal and counterterrorism jurisdiction to uncover
    U.S. involvement in WMD development. We have developed proactive
    programs to counter the WMD proliferation threat, and we are prepared
    to pursue, arrest and prosecute those who use, or threaten to use WMD
    in the United States.

    (end text)