DATE=5/6/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249051
TITLE=U-S / CHINA ESPIONAGE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM MALONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  U-S ATTORNEY-GENERAL JANET RENO IS LAUNCHING AN INTERNAL 
PROBE TO SEE IF FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS MISHANDLED ALLEGATIONS OF 
CHINESE ESPIONAGE AT U-S NUCLEAR WEAPONS LABORATORIES.  V-O-A 
NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE HAS DETAILS.  

TEXT:   ATTORNEY-GENERAL RENO TOLD REPORTERS AT HER WEEKLY NEWS 
CONFERENCE THAT SHE WILL SOON APPOINT A SPECIAL PANEL TO REVIEW 
HOW THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF 
INVESTIGATION HANDLED THE PROBE OF A SCIENTIST SUSPECTED OF 
PASSING NUCLEAR SECRETS TO CHINA.

                        /// RENO ACT ///

         I JUST THINK, IN A MATTER LIKE THIS, EVERYBODY SHOULD 
         HEAR ALL THE FACTS POSSIBLE BEFORE THEY JUMP TO 
         CONCLUSIONS AND THEN I THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE OTHER 
         THOUGHTS.  AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
         LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT WE 
         COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY.

                        /// END ACT. ///

THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS COME UNDER FIRE FROM CONGRESSIONAL
REPUBLICANS WHO SAY FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS FROM THE F-B-I AND THE 
DEPARTMENTS OF JUSTICE AND ENERGY BUNGLED THE CASE OF SCIENTIST 
WEN HO LEE.

MR. LEE IS A TAIWANESE-BORN SCIENTIST WHO HAD BEEN WORKING AT THE
LOS ALAMOS NUCLEAR WEAPONS LAB IN NEW MEXICO SINCE 1978.  HE WAS 
FIRED FROM HIS JOB IN MARCH AFTER HE CAME UNDER SUSPICION FOR 
POSSIBLY PASSING ALONG SECRETS TO CHINA INCLUDING INFORMATION 
ABOUT THE MOST ADVANCED NUCLEAR WARHEAD IN THE U-S ARSENAL KNOWN 
AS THE W-88.

MR. LEE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CASE AND HIS 
LAWYER HAS DENIED THAT HE COMMITTED ANY CRIME.  CHINESE OFFICIALS
IN BEIJING HAVE ALSO DENIED STEALING U-S NUCLEAR SECRETS.

SOME CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ARE FURIOUS ABOUT THE SPY CHARGES 
AND ARE URGING NUCLEAR WEAPONS LABS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO TIGHTEN
THEIR SECURITY PROCEDURES. (SIGNED)

NEB/JBM/JO 

06-May-99 12:30 PM EDT (1630 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.