Pubdate: Sun, 16 Sep 2001
Source: Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN)
Copyright: 2001 The Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.
Contact:  http://www.knoxnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/226
Author: Christopher Newton (AP)

CIA POLICIES MUST CHANGE CHENEY SAYS

WASHINGTON (AP) - The CIA must change its policy of not paying operatives 
with ties to terrorist groups when working to uncover schemes against 
America, Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday. Cheney suggested on NBC's 
"Meet The Press" show Sunday that the policy might be tossed in the wake of 
the destruction of the World Trade Center and an attack on the Pentagon,

"If you're only going to work with officially approved, certified good 
guys, you are not going to find out what the bad guy are doing," Cheney 
said. "You have to have on payroll some very unsavory characters. This is a 
mean, nasty, dangerous, dirty, business. We have to operate in that arena."

Cheney also said that CIA director George Tenet should not be used as a 
"scapegoat" in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

"I think George clearly should remain as director of the CIA. I think he 
and his people do good work," Cheney said.

Cheney also said security in America's airports must be tightened. 
Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta is forming a task force to make 
recommendations to him by Oct. 1.

"They needed boxcutters, knives, razorblades and an airline ticket and that 
is it," Cheney said. "They, in effect, turned our own system against us."

Other members of the Bush administration are also calling for strengthening 
the nation's ability to find terrorists.

Attorney General John Ashcroft said Sunday that the administration would 
ask Congress for wider latitude in tapping the telephones and computer 
lines of suspected terrorists.

"In terms of wiretapping...its easier to get a wiretap against a drug 
dealer or someone who's involved in illegal gambling than it is against 
terrorists," Ashcroft said on "Fox News Sunday."

Ashcroft also says the nation needs better legal tools to identify and 
prosecute money laundering by terrorists.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart