
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 1, 1991                   TAG: 9102010723
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A/4   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

FBI SAYS THREAT OF TERRORISM WON'T END WHEN WAR IS OVER

The head of the FBI's anti-terrorism effort predicted Thursday that the nation's high alert against domestic and international terrorism would remain long after war ends in the Persian Gulf.

"I tell our agents it's a mile or two-mile race and we are only in the first lap, so you don't want to have any burnout," Assistant FBI Director William Baker told reporters.

Baker, who heads the FBI's criminal investigation division, said the bureau continues to detect only low levels of activity by American-based sympathizers of international terrorist organizations.

But Baker said that heightened U.S. security measures will become almost permanent because of a long-term threat of Iraqi-inspired terrorism.

"The prospect of terrorist threat exists" against U.S. installations around the world and in this country "even after hostilities end," Baker said.

He defended recently completed FBI interviews of "far fewer than 200" prominent Arab-Americans to solicit information about terrorism and to remind them of the bureau's role in investigating ethnic hate crimes.

Under its jurisdiction to enforce civil rights laws, the FBI is investigating 13 incidents of harassment of Arab-Americans that occurred since the war began Jan. 16, Baker said.

Also under investigation are 13 incidents that occurred between Aug. 2, the day Iraq invaded Kuwait, and the start of the U.S. bombing campaign.

The incidents include firebombings of Arab-American businesses and threats by telephone and mail, Baker said. At least six of the incidents occurred in the Detroit area, which has a large concentration of Arab-Americans.

The interviews of Arab-Americans have been criticized by civil libertarians and Arab-American organizations, charging that the FBI was fueling unfounded suspicions that Arab-Americans were linked to terrorism.

But Baker said "it was valid initiative to better protect Americans and Arab-Americans against two things: civil rights violations against the Arab-Americans; and all Americans - to better protect us against would-be terrorists."

by CNB