European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 12, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 a a the stars and stripes saturday january 12,1991 m Bra crisis in the Gulf Security advisory issued to traveler warning also in Washington a the state department said Friday it has evidence that terrorists supported by Iraq Are planning attacks around the world if War Breaks out Over Kuwait and advised travellers to take All possible precautions. The warning came As the government ordered an anti terrorism watch domestically As Well telling nuclear plants to be on guard. The coast guard moved to shield . Ports and coastal factories. Airlines said they were prepared to protect travellers but would not discuss details. And Security officers at the Justice department and other sensitive government offices said they were taking new precautions. A the . Government has evidence that terrorists supported by Iraq Are planning to mount attacks in most regions of the world a state department spokesman Richard Boucher said Friday. He added the Middle East and Europe Are the most Likely target areas but that the government knows of terrorist planning in Africa Asia and latin America As Well. The department which has issued three previous warnings about the likelihood of increased terrorism since the aug. 2 invasion of Kuwait recommended that americans travelling abroad stay in close touch with . Missions in the countries they visit keep Alert for unusual activity and a exercise caution when in or near . Military or civilian protest members of the Community for creative non violence use barrels to Block Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House on Friday As they stage a dual demonstration to demand More housing for the homeless and to protest . Involvement in the persian Gulf. One person was arrested for blocking traffic. As Iraq continued to defy the United nations Jan. 15 deadline for a total military withdrawal from Iraq concern mounted in Washington that War could spark terrorist attacks in the United states and elsewhere. With that potential threat in mind the Justice department ordered the immigration and naturalization service to immediately tighten screening procedures at All entry Points. _ a while travellers May incur some inconvenience this is More than counterbalanced by . Security needs and our obligation to protect american citizens a Deputy attorney general William p. Barr said in a statement. Ins spokesman Duke Austin said travellers carrying iraqi and kuwaiti passports would be photographed and fingerprinted. Kuwaiti passports were included in the order because . Officials suspect that Many kuwaiti passports were seized by the iraqi invaders in August. The ins estimates there Are 60,000 iraqi immigrants in the United states and 8,500 iraqi students and tourists. A a. Earlier this week the Fri ordered its Field offices to Contact More than 200 prominent Arab american leaders As part of a far wider Effort to gather intelligence about possible terrorist threats. The Effort was criticized by Many in the Arab Ameri can Community who said the Effort will Only increase suspicions that . Citizens of Arab descent Are disloyal to the country. But Fri spokesman Thomas Jones said most Arab americans interviewed thus far have been receptive to the Contact by agents. A the Bureau has received a no definite information about any planned terrorist activity Jones said. But he said some of those already interviewed told agents they would be willing to pass along any information they might obtain. A. / a a a meanwhile Frank Ingram a spokesman for the nuclear regulatory commission said the Agency has advised nuclear Plant operators a to heighten their Security awareness to take particular note of anything that May be out of the a the commission is also a working closely with other agencies of the government to make sure we have available to us any information they May have a Ingram said. The precautions he said Are a a prudent thing to do in View of the situation in the Middle coast guard also moved to counter the potential threat. / a. A fall commands Are sensitive to the reports of possible threats against . Ports a said coast guard spokesman Jack of Dell. A your personnel have been informed to pay close attention to anything that might look suspicious and we be created a heightened Pentagon de Niesing policy on Gays by Chuck Vinci Washington Bureau Washington the Pentagon on Friday denied a published report that it had shifted its policy on homosexuals to keep Gay military personnel on duty in the persian Gulf rather than give them administrative discharges. A Short report thursday in the Baltimore Sun said the Pentagon a ban on homosexuals still stands but that the services now can defer the discharge of Gay personnel deployed in jobs considered vital to operation desert shield. The report said the change was driven by the military s a Stop loss policy which allows the services to delay Normal separations and retirements As Well As administrative discharges. Maj. Doug Hart a Pentagon spokesman said the report is a totally a there has been no change in the policy a Hart said. A service members in operation desert shield who claim to be homosexual will be dealt with As that Means a Board would Convene to investigate a claim of homosexuality and recommend an administrative discharge if it found the claim to be legitimate. A now that process could take several weeks and during that time the service member will remain with his or her unit a Hart said. A but once a ruling is made it will be carried Lilart said the Sun Story apparently was sparked by the Case of a reservist spec Donna Lynn Jackson of the 129th evacuation Hospital at fort Ord Calif. Jackson recently sent a letter to he commander asserting that she is a lesbian and stating her wish to deploy with her unit which will leave soon. Kate Dyer an aide to rep. Gerry Studds d-m.ass., said she was told by Jackson a commander in a phone Call last week that the Soldier would in fact deploy with the unit despite her assertion that she is Gay. A the said a we be been told to take them with us a a Dyer said. Quot i assume a them refers to people who might otherwise be Given administrative discharges. He said they were so Busy getting ready to go to the Gulf that they did t have the time or resources to Deal with those kinds of things now. A. A now that has gotten hold of this the people at fort Ord Are Back tracking and saying that she will be processed out that it was All a misunderstanding a Dyer said. Neither Jackson nor her commander could be reached for comment Friday. The new York times reported on thursday that Jackson raised the Issue because of fears she might serve on Active duty in saudi Arabia Only to be forced out of the army later. Being Gay a is not really a hard thing to Deal with in the reserves a Jackson said. A a you re Only there one weekend a month and for two weeks in the summer. Now that its full time its a whole different the Soldier has already lost the fight to stay with her unit. She has been reassigned to another unit based permanently at fort Ord prior to the convening of a Board that will consider her wish to stay in the army said Beth Settle a base spokeswoman. Dyer said she hoped Jackson a situation is an isolated incident. A a it a a bit two faced to say that you re not Good enough for the military in peacetime but you re Good enough to fodder in combat a she said. The Pentagon has Long viewed Homo sexuality As incompatible with military service under a directive that states a per sons who engage in homosexual conduct or demonstrate a propensity to do so adversely affect the ability of the armed forces to maintain discipline Good order and an increasing number of Legal Chal Lenges to the policy have been surfacing ii court in recent years. In november the . Supreme Cour gave army staff. Sgt. Perry Watkins a vie tory in his nine year Battle to return to it Active duty. Watkins fight began when he we As in voluntarily discharged for being a Homo sexual after 14 years of service. Watkins who was drafted in 1967 As the Vietnam War w As heating up never lied about i sexual orientation. He was allowed to re enlist three times and received excellent performance ratings. The suit affected Watkins Only the defense department discharge about 1,400 serv ice members each year of violating the directive on homosexuality
