Pubdate: Wed, 25 Apr 2001
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2001 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: James Risen

U.S. CONTENDS PERU MILITARY DID NOT CHECK PLANE NUMBER

WASHINGTON, April 24 -- A Peruvian Air Force plane flew close enough to a 
small plane carrying a missionary family to obtain the aircraft's tail 
number, but American officials concluded that it failed to check records of 
the number with Peruvian officials on the ground, an American official said 
today.

The official said that C.I.A. contract personnel on a nearby American 
surveillance aircraft tracking the small plane urged the Peruvians to 
obtain the tail number.

Since the downing of the small plane last Friday, which left an American 
woman and her baby daughter dead, American officials have said the Peruvian 
jet opened fire on the missionaries' plane without carefully following 
established procedures. American officials say tapes of the episode, which 
have not yet been released by the United States government, show that 
C.I.A. contract personnel raised questions with the Peruvians about their 
procedures before the Peruvian pilot opened fire.

But there has been disagreement between Peru and the United States over the 
precise sequence of events. Gen. Pedro Olazabal, spokesman for the Peruvian 
Air Force, would not answer questions about the operation today, saying, 
"No one has all the information now of what really happened and no one can 
judge yet."

The American surveillance aircraft was staffed by three C.I.A. contract 
employees and one Peruvian Air Force officer, who acted as the liaision 
with the Peruvian Air Force. The American plane was part of program to 
interdict drug running aircraft flying in the area. Under the program, 
Amerian surveillance aircraft identify suspected drug planes and turn the 
information over to the Peruvians, who intercept the planes.

Under certain conditions, the Peruvian military can open fire and shoot 
down the planes. Since March, 1995, the Peruvians have shot down, forced 
down or strafed more than 30 aircraft, and have seized more than a dozen on 
the ground, according to United States officials.

But in the wake of the Friday shooting, the Bush administration has 
suspended the flights while the incident is investigated and the program is 
reviewed, officials have said.

United States officials have recognized the risks involved in the air 
interdiction program for years. In 1994, the program was briefly halted 
while its legal status was debated. The 1995 defense authorization act 
clarified the legal status, and President Clinton issued a formal 
determination in December 1994 covering the air interdiction program in Peru.

An American official said the small plane was flying on a straight and 
level course and was not making any kind of evasive maneuvers. The crew of 
the American surveillance plane asked Peruvian officials to find a flight 
plan filed for a plane flying in that location, but none could be found, a 
United States official said.

The pilot of the plane, Kevin Donaldson, was shot in both legs but still 
managed to land the plane. Veronica Bowers and her infant daughter, 
Charity, were killed. Her husband and another child survived. The bodies of 
Mrs. Bowers and the baby were brought back to the United States today.

George Tenet, the director of central intelligence, testified about the 
shooting today in a classified hearing before the Senate Select Committee 
on Intelligence.

A United States official said that it is standard practice after detecting 
an aircraft for either the American surveillance plane or a Peruvian jet to 
try to fly close enough to obtain the registration number. The American 
plane did not draw close enough to do so, the official said, for fear of 
alerting the aircraft to its presence, because it might have escaped over 
the border. A Peruvian fighter subsequently took off and flew near the 
small plane and obtained the tail number, the American official said. But 
the United States does not have any evidence that the fighter gave the 
registration number to the ground to obtain the plane's identity.

"There is no set procedure on who checks out the tail number," the American 
official said.

The American crew was becoming increasingly concerned by the actions of the 
Peruvians, and contacted their chain of command in Peru, the official said.

The Americans did not recommend going to what is called phase 3, under 
which a Peruvian pilot begins a series of steps to try to identify the 
other plane. Following those steps, suspect aircraft can be fired upon but 
only after warning shots are ignored and after the Peruvian plane has 
gained permission of the regional commanding general of the Peruvian air force.

The superiors of the American crew were asking questions of the air crew as 
the Peruvians were moving into phase 3. Shortly after that, the Peruvians 
opened fire.

An American investigation of the episode is expected, but details of who 
will conduct that inquiry are still to be worked out.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager