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© St. Petersburg Times, published May 23, 2002
WASHINGTON -- The House voted Wednesday to spend billions of dollars to prepare hospitals and build vaccine stockpiles for a bioterrorism attack and to increase security at borders, laboratories and waterworks.
The bioterrorism bill, authorizing $4.6-billion over the next two years, passed the House on a 425-1 vote, propelled by concerns from last fall's anthrax attacks.
Later, the House passed a bill, 327-101, authorizing $5-billion to help the U.S. Customs Service buy special equipment to fight terrorism at the borders.
The House also was trying to finish a $29-billion anti-terrorism spending bill before it recesses for the Memorial Day holiday. Nearly $16-billion of that money is for the military but the bill also would pour billions of dollars into domestic security programs, including $5.5-billion to help New York rebuild from the attacks and $4-billion for increasing security at airports and on airliners.
Senate leaders hope to take up the bioterrorism bill before adjourning Friday for a weeklong recess, but it was uncertain whether they would get to it.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Seven U.S. military personnel should be questioned about the treatment of American-born Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh, who was kept in such harsh conditions that he had to be given an IV because he was dehydrated, Lindh's lawyers say.
The lawyers, who want to question five people from the Navy, one Army soldier and a Marine, hope to have admissions that Lindh made to his interrogators ruled inadmissible for his trial.
They say that after being held in a camp by the U.S. military, Lindh passed out at least once aboard the USS Peleliu.
The government objects to subpoenas for the seven.
KHOSHAB, Afghanistan -- U.S. soldiers distributed school supplies, toys, food and blankets in this hot, dusty village Wednesday.
Dubbed Golden Eagle, the 10-day effort by troops from the 101st Airborne Division will deliver aid to six villages around Kandahar It is the first humanitarian operation organized by the U.S. military in southwestern Afghanistan.
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U.S. warplanes struck more than 10 gunmen who were digging a mortar position Tuesday on a hill overlooking a forward base of American and Afghan troops in eastern Afghanistan. The Americans called in A-10 gunships, which "neutralized" the mortar, U.S. Maj. Bryan Hilferty said. Coalition later troops inspected the area, finding some equipment but no bodies or mortars.
U.S. special forces and coalition troops continued searching the mountains around Khost for Taliban and al-Qaida fighters. A British-led force of 1,000 troops that was searching north of Khost in a sweep called Operation Condor ended the mission Wednesday without finding any fighters.
WASHINGTON -- Supporters of a proposal allowing airline pilots to carry guns have postponed today's vote and plan to seek a compromise with their opponents.
Rep. John Mica, the Winter Park Republican who co-authored the bill, said Wednesday he will negotiate with Democrats who oppose the bill over the next two weeks.
"It gives us time to work out a compromise," said Mica, chairman of the House aviation subcommittee.
Jim Berard, a spokesman for Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., one of the main opponents of the bill, said Oberstar was willing to negotiate. Berard said Mica and Oberstar can "stop and talk and think a little more about this issue and maybe find a way around it."
Supporters say the guns would provide pilots with a last line of defense that could avoid the need for fighter planes to shoot down a commercial jet. But opponents say they are worried about accidental shootings and misuse of the guns.
The postponement gives the Bush administration time to decide whether to allow non-lethal weapons such as stun guns. Some members of Congress have said they would prefer stun guns instead of firearms, so the administration's decision could affect what happens to Mica's bill.
UNITED NATIONS -- A U.N. team is investigating allegations that the al-Qaida terror network has converted some assets into gold and diamonds, officials said Wednesday.
The team has also launched investigations into how to prevent al-Qaida and other terrorists from using the Internet for financial transactions and communication. And the group plans to investigate the alleged use of charities to support al-Qaida.
The team, authorized by the Security Council to monitor sanctions against al-Qaida and Afghanistan's former Taliban rulers, said that by the end of March 144 countries had blocked $103.8-million in assets related to the war on terrorism.
WASHINGTON -- Authorities have received new information suggesting that the hijackers of Flight 93, the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, intended to slam the plane into the White House, the Associated Press reported, citing government officials.
The information is believed to have come from Abu Zubaydah, the senior al-Qaida terrorist leader in U.S. custody. He is being interrogated at an undisclosed location.
NO ANTHRAX: The World Bank said Wednesday that followup tests had determined that no anthrax spores were present on mail received by the international lending institution. More than 1,000 employees are to return to work today. They had been working from home since Monday, when a preliminary field test indicated the presence of anthrax. The International Monetary Fund, which also got a preliminary positive reading for anthrax, were still awaiting definitive lab results.
CIA HOMELAND OFFICIAL: The CIA has appointed a longtime counterterrorism official and senior analyst to head its new homeland security division, the agency announced Wednesday. Winston Wiley, deputy director of intelligence, will move into his new role as associate director for central intelligence for homeland security on May 28. The new office will communicate intelligence on terrorist threats to the Office of Homeland Security.
CONCOURSE EVACUATED: Hundreds of passengers evacuated a concourse in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Wednesday after a metal detector was found unplugged. About 300 passengers were rescreened and allowed back into the concourse within an hour, said airport spokesman Jim Reynolds.
-- Times staff writer Bill Adair contributed to this report.