XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX WED MARCH 20 2000 20:29:11 ET XXXXX

TERRORISTS PLANNED TO SHOOT DOWN PRESEIDENT'S HELICOPTER WITH SHOULDER-LAUNCHED MISSILE; THREATS SAID IN RETALIATION FOR CLINTON'S CRUISE MISSILE ATTACK ON AFGHANISTAN

President Clinton's trip to South Asia has been met with multiple death threats, but the NEW YORK TIMES on Thursday is reporting that U.S. intelligence learned, specifically, that "Islamic zealots were planning to fire a shoulder-launched missile at the president's helicopter."

The threat was taken seriously, causing Secret Service to cancel an event in a rural Bangladesh village.

According to a senior administration official who refused to be named:

"We were watching this for several weeks. Then we picked up something specific last weekend, and the Secret Service said, 'That's it.' They were already sweating.

"Clearly there are higher security concerns on this trip. No question about it."

MORE...

The senior official says that in addition to the specific plot in Bangladesh, there has been evidence uncovered that "broad threats" exist in Pakistan and India as well.

Top aides are telling the TIMES that security will be highest in Pakistan because of Harkat Moujahedeen, a Pakistan-based Islamic "terrorist" group with links to Osama Bin Laden.

"U.S. intelligence officials said Harkat Moujahedeen suffered numerous casualties when Clinton ordered cruise missile strikes in August 1998 against remote camps in eastern Afghanistan linked to Bin Laden in retaliation for the embassy bombings in Africa. As a result, the group has vowed to seek revenge against Clinton.

"'They were hard hit in the cruise missile attacks,' said a U.S. intelligence official. 'They haven't forgotten that.'"

U.S. officials and State Department terrorism reports reveal that Bin Laden operatives have tried to assassinate Clinton at least one time before.

MORE...

The London-based International Islamic Front is reported to have sent a three page email threat to its adherents that included the following line:

"Send Clinton Back in a Coffin. One Clinton, One Bullet, One Coffin."

Developing hot...

X X X X X

-- Uncle Bob (unclb0b@aol.com), March 22, 2000