http://www.sacbee.com/news/calreport/calrep_story.cgi?N206.HTMLO Here is an article that may be of interest. It does not pertain to YK2K, however the results could be even more devastating.

-- Notforlong (Fsur@aol.com), January 25, 2000

Answers

Ex-spy testifies in hearing on Russian espionage, purported weapon stashes By LINDA DEUTSCH AP Special Correspondent LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Denying he is trying to "create paranoia and a new Cold War," Rep. Dan Burton held a hearing on Russian espionage Monday with an ex-spy testifying and a congressional colleague displaying a mockup of a briefcase-size nuclear weapon.

Stanislav Lunev, a former Soviet and Russian spy, was led into the hearing room with a black bag over his head, then was placed behind a screen which shielded him from the audience at the hearing of the House Committee on Government Reform.

Much of his testimony was a repeat of allegations made in his 1998 book in which he alleged that Russia's post-Cold War leaders still see the United States as the enemy.

Lunev, who is in the federal witness protection program, said he masqueraded as a reporter for the Russian news agency Tass for three years during which he scouted "drop sites" for weapons caches. But he said he has no idea if they were ever planted.

These days, he said, he communicates with many Americans via the Internet and finds that "the situation in America is not bad. ... Maybe now is the time to think about American national security because later may be too late."

He thanked Burton, the committee chairman, for bringing him to "such a beautiful area of the country" to testify.

Burton, R-Ind., sought to explain why he chose California for the hearing.

"It's my understanding that there are many potential targets for Russian sabotage in California," he said.

Burton also said the author of a recent book suggested that California's harbor and naval facilities were prime targets.

"California is the most populous state in the nation," said Burton. "If there are hidden caches of explosives in this state that's very dangerous. ... That's why we're here."

But by the time the hearing ended, no one had been able to do more than speculate that there were "dead drop sites" for Russian weapons in California.

Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., suggested in November that the spy caches might include suitcase-sized nuclear weapons that can produce a 10- kiloton blast.

Weldon, who also testified, stood at one point, holding up a large briefcase and announced: "I have a small atomic demolition device I'd like to bring up to you."

Burton quickly reassured the audience that it was "a mockup" created by the Central Intelligence Agency.

"This would wipe out downtown Los Angeles," said Weldon. "In a stadium, it would kill 50,000 to 75,000 people."

Russian officials have confirmed their arsenal includes such devices, but investigators have said there is no evidence they are part of the purported hidden stockpiles.

Weldon maintained the probe of a Russian threat was "a bipartisan effort," but Burton noted that Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, did not show up at the sparsely attended hearing. The only other congressmen participating were Tom Campbell, R-Calif., and Joe Scarborough, R-Fla.

Burton said he has repeatedly asked the White House and the State Department to investigate the question of weapons caches but they have never responded.

"I really regret the State Department isn't here today," he said. "They just jumped through hoops not to testify."

Campbell, appearing in his home territory, said he believes "there is a high likelihood of positioning weapons in California."

Campbell said he sent requests to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, National Security Adviser Sandy Berger and Defense Secretary William Cohen to investigate the matter, but the only reply came from Cohen, who told him an undersecretary would get back to him. Campbell said he has heard nothing.

"To fail to reply at all to concerned inquiries about safety is outrageous," Campbell said.

Burton said another former spy has alleged that the Russians planted more than 130 weapons caches around the world. He said 48 were located and destroyed by the Russians after the demise of the former Soviet Union but 84 remain unaccounted for.

He said the only two caches uncovered by investigators were in Switzerland and Belgium and contained communications equipment.

During a break, Burton was strongly questioned by reporters about motives for the hearings and whether he knows of actual weapons sites in California.

"I don't know whether there's anything like that here nor does the administration," he said, but he insisted that the Russians should be asked.

When he returned to the hearing room, Burton said, "Some members of the media are indicating we might be trying to create paranoia and a new Cold War. That's untrue. ... I'm distressed that some members of the media think we're trying to scare everyone to death."

Problems? Suggestions? Let us hear from you. / Copyright ) The Sacramento Bee

-- Zguy (click@paste.com), January 25, 2000.

It seems there is an increase in saber rattling. Perhaps the oil crisis is intensifying high level cabinet/military meetings across the globe.

The folowing is from todays news updates by Rev. Jack van Impe's news service: Positioning for ???

CHINA STOLE CANADIAN NUCLEAR SECRETS January 25, 2000 The Toronto Globe and Mail reported: Chinese spies stole Canadian nuclear secrets to build a pirate copy of a research reactor invented at federal laboratories in Chalk River, Ont., counterintelligence sources say. China is marketing its cheap clone around the world. Meanwhile, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., the federal Crown corporation that developed the Slowpoke reactor, has shelved its own sales program because it can't make money on exports, AECL officials say. The Chinese pretty well picked the place clean, says a veteran Canadian security officer who investigated the loss of the Chalk River nuclear secrets. In many ways, China's elaborate espionage operations to steal Canadian nuclear-power reactor plans parallel Beijing's theft of nuclear-weapons designs from U.S. government facilities at Los Alamos, the sources say..."

CIA WORRIED ABOUT SECONDARY PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION January 25, 2000 Reuters reported: The CIA's chief of intelligence analysis said he is concerned about growing evidence of ''secondary proliferation'' as countries striving to obtain nuclear, biological and chemical weapons share information with other aspirants. I would say the problem of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is becoming more complex and difficult, CIA Deputy Director for Intelligence John McLaughlin said in a recent interview with Reuters at CIA headquarters. We're starting to see more evidence of what I might call kind of secondary proliferation. That is more evidence of sharing of information and data among countries that are striving to obtain weapons, said McLaughlin, who is privy to information from spies, satellites and intercepted communication. The concern is that once some of those countries attain such capabilities they will turn around and help other aspirants acquire similar weapons. As the systems mature in the obvious countries like North Korea and Iran, they themselves have the potential to start becoming sources of proliferation as distinct from aspirants. And that begins to complicate the whole picture, McLaughlin said. CIA Director George Tenet is scheduled to give his annual 'World Threat Assessment' on Wednesday at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing where threats to U.S. national security such as proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, state- sponsored terrorism and non-state terrorists will be discussed..." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- ANALYSTS SAY AUSTRALIA MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN U.S. AND CHINA January 25, 2000 The Australian Financial Review reported: "...Australia's alliance with the US is not sustainable unless Canberra is prepared to stand by Washington in any future tensions with China, according to the American chairman of a policy review. Professor Bob Blackwill, an international security expert at Harvard's John F.Kennedy School of Government, believes China is the core issue as Australia frames its new strategic policy, with the Federal Government aiming to produce its review by mid-year. Blackwill, who is chairing an unofficial review of the alliance, believes Australia will have to make a fundamental choice between the US and China between the current superpower and a potential future one. You in Australia want to get along as well as you can with China, but in the US administrations will be increasingly anxious about the rise of Chinese power, he says. US relations with China have been at a low in the past year, and American opinion across the political spectrum has become more antagonistic towards Beijing..."

-- Bill P (porterwn@one.net), January 25, 2000.

Hi all!

This is a repeat warning. Last year about this time Christopher Ruddy (see www.newsmax.com) put out a multi-part series on the renewed Russian-Chinese threat.

It's a good read and will give you more than enough to chew on for a bit, then kick you into action!

-- (Kurt.Borzel@gems8.gov.bc.ca), January 25, 2000.