Clinton administration anti-terrorism law

The Clinton administration's anti-terrorism law efforts evoked the following December 1996 comment by conservative James Bovard, policy advisor for the Future of Freedom Foundation.

The President is "continuing to agitate for new powers to suppress terrorists" and "demanding more powers for wiretaps, more powers to prevent people from using encryption for their e-mail, more powers to classify normal crimes as terrorist offenses, and so forth."

"As usual," the President's "solution to every problem is more power for himself and his cronies" and he has "scorned opponents of his terrorist proposals, claiming that they want to 'turn America into a safe house for terrorists.'"

Clinton administration counterterrorism efforts have been subjected to significant scrutiny at least since the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States hearings and testimony.

Also see Clinton administration: Homeland Defense Before 2001 for extensive citations on the Clinton administration's activities related to homeland defense, as well as background on anti-terrorism activities during the Ronald Reagan administration.

Key Personnel

• Richard A. Clarke

Legislation, Documents, Hearings, Testimony & Reports

Overviews

• Timeline: Clinton administration accomplishments 1993-2000.
• "Combating Terrorism: FBI's Use of Federal Funds for Counterterrorism-Related Activities (Fiscal Years 1995-1998) (Letter Report)," GAO, November 20, 1998 (FAS).

1995

• S.3. "Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Improvement Act of 1995". Introduced by Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS), et al., in the U.S. Senate, January 4, 1995. (Posted by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)).
• "A National Security Strategy of Engagement and Enlargement," The White House, February 1995 (GlobalSecurity).
• H.R.896.: "To improve the ability of the United States to respond to the international terrorist threat." Introduced by Reps. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Norman Dicks (D-WA), et al., in the U.S. House of Representatives, February 10, 1995. "Prohibits fund-raising for 'terrorist organizations.' Increases use of wiretaps in 'terrorism' cases, including 'providing material support'." (EFF).
• Press Release: FACT SHEET: Counter-Terrorism. "The White House's Position on Terrorism," April 1995.
• "The FBI's Domestic Counterterrorism Program," Center for National Security Studies, April 26, 1995.
• S.761. "Omnibus Counterterrorism Act of 1995". Introduced by Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD), et al., in the Senate, May 5, 1995. (EFF).
• H.R.1635. "Antiterrorism Amendments Act of 1995". Introduced by Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-MO), in the House, May 15, 1995. (EFF).
• Hearings on Wiretapping and other Terrorism Proposals. Testimony of David B. Kopel, Associate Policy Analyst, Cato Institute, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate, May 24, 1995.
• H.R.1710. "Comprehensive Antiterrorism Act of 1995". Introduced by Rep. Henry Hyde, et al., in the House, May 25, 1995. (EFF).
• Statement of Ehalil E. Jahshan, Executive Director of the National Association of Arab Americans (NAAA), Before the House Judiciary Committee, June 13, 1995. Posted on Federation of American Scientists (FAS) website.
• PDD-39: U.S. Policy on Counterterrorism, June 21, 1995 (FAS).
• H.R.2768. "Effective Death Penalty and Antiterrorism Act of 1995". Introduced by Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL), et al., in the House, December 13, 1995. (EFF).

1996

• "A National Security Strategy of Engagement and Enlargement," The White House, February 1996 (GlobalSecurity).
• "Preparing for the 21st Century. An Appraisal of U.S. Intelligence," Commission on the Roles and Capabilities of the United States Intelligence Community, March 1, 1996 (GPO).
• "The Intelligence Community in the 21st Century. The Intelligence Community Act of 1996. Statement by Chairman Larry Combest, U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, March 4, 1996; Summary (FAS).
• H.R.2703. "Effective Death Penalty and Public Safety Act of 1996", March 14, 1996.
• S. 735. "Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act of 1995". (a.k.a. the Henry Hyde/Bob Dole "Effective Death Penalty and Public Safety Act of 1996"; Includes elements of H.R.2768). (EFF). Passed by Senate April 17, 1996, and by House April 18, 1996.

• Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Draft Amendment "intended to stop people from teaching how to create explosives with intent of criminal acts. Gutted before passage. A version has been reintroduced, July 96, as an amendment to S.1762." (EFF).

• The 1996 Anti-Terrorism Act a short summary of the bill
• "Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1996 Briefing" by Ambassador Philip C. Wilcox, Jr., Department of State Coordinator for Counterterrorism, on the release of the 1995 report, Patterns of Global Terrorism, Washington, DC, April 30, 1996.
• HR 3593. "Aviation Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1996": "To combat terrorism," in the House, August 2, 1996. (Thomas).
• Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. Enacted September 10, 1996.
• "White House Fact Sheet on Counter-Terrorism Measures" "signed into law by President Clinton on October 9, 1996; posted by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC); Source: U.S. Information Agency.

1997

• A National Security Strategy for a New Century," The White House, May 1997 (GlobalSecurity).

1998

• PDD-62, May 22, 1998.
• U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century (Hart-Rudman Task Force on Homeland Security), chartered July 1998.
• Executive Order 12947: Prohibiting Transactions with Terrorists Who Threaten to Disrupt the Middle East Process, August 22, 1998, which amended EO 12947 of January 23, 1995, to add (by name): "Usama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Ladin (a.k.a. Usama bin Ladin)"; "Islamic Army (a.k.a. Al-Qaida, Islamic Salvation Foundation, The Islamic Army for the Liberation of the Holy Places, The World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders, and The Group for the Preservation of the Holy Sites)"; "Abu Hafs al-Masri"; and "Rifa'i Ahmad Taha Musa".
• "A National Security Strategy for a New Century," The White House, October 1998.
• H.R. 3616, 105th Congress, 2nd Session, Public Law 105-261, October 17, 1998: Gilmore Commission (Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction) (RAND).
• "Text: US Grand Jury Indictment Against Usama bin Laden," United States District Court, Southern District of New York, November 6, 1998. (FAS).

1999

• "A National Security Strategy for a New Century," The White House, December 1999.

2000

• Report of the National Commission on Terrorism, published June 2000.
• "A National Security Strategy for a Global Age," The White House, December 2000.

Other Sources

• Numerous links to articles and commentary on proposed legislation in the "Terrorism Archive" of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
• Numerous links to other "1996 Counterrorism Proposals" and "1995-1996 Counterterrorism Bill Files" posted by EPIC.
• Numerous links on Counterterrorism posted by Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

Articles & Commentary

Profiles

• Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 and 1998 United States embassy bombings in the Wikipedia.
• "Complete 9/11 Timeline": "Military Exercises Up to 9/11," Cooperative Research.
• "Al Qaeda: Profile and Threat Assessment," by Kenneth Katzman, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division, Congressional Research Service, February 10, 2005. Cites terrorism events from 1992 leading up to 9/11.

1995

• Kit Gage, "Last Chance to Stop Senate Terror Bill," NCARL (Electronic Frontier Foundation), June 2, 1995.
• Dave Kopel and Benjamin J. Stein, "Clinton's Terrifying Response to Terror," Socialism: Dead or Alive? published in The American Enterprise Online/American Enterprise Institute, July/August 1995.

1996

• "President Clinton's Efforts to End Terrorism," BuzzFlash, undated.
• Barry Rubin, "The US in the Middle East, 1996"; "chapter appeared in U.S. Middle East Policy, 1996, in Ami Ayalon, Middle East Contemporary Survey, 1996, Volume 20." Reprinted by Middle East Review of International Affairs "with permission of the Dayan Center."
• "Clinton to terrorists: U.S. won't be intimidated. President calls for new legislation," CNN, July 28, 1996. Listen to CNN audio clip.
• "Clinton presses for anti-terrorism tools. Congress agrees tougher measures needed," CNN, July 29, 1996.
• "President wants Senate to hurry with new anti-terrorism laws," CNN, July 30, 1996.
• "Clinton Administration, Congress Propose Sweeping Anti-Terrorism Initiatives," Center for Democracy and Technology, August 1, 1996.
• Daniel Kurtzman, "Anti-terror steps fail to meet Jewish goals," Jewish Telegraphic Agency, August 2, 1996.
• "Europeans Protest U.S. Anti-Terrorism Law," New York Times, August 10, 1996.
• Daniel Kurtzman, "Clinton enacts law to squeeze Iran and Libya out of funding," Jewish Telegraphic Agency, August 16, 1996.
• Peter Baker, "President Calls on Congress To Pass Airport Security Bill," Washington Post (MIT), September 10, 1996.
• "Immigration Overhaul," Migration News, October 1996.
• Richard M. Ebeling, "Terrorism, Anti-Terrorism, and American Foreign Policy", Future of Freedom Foundation: Part 1, November 1996 and Part 2, December 1996.
• James Bovard, "The Hypocritical War on Terrorism," Future of Freedom Foundation, December 1996.

1997

• "Dictating Terms: The U.S. Anti-Terrorist List," Revolutionary Worker, November 23, 1997.

1998

• Maha ElGenaidi, Islamic Networks Group, "Muslims in the United-States: How Stereotyping of Muslims was Used To Pass New 'Anti-Terrorism' Law," CAHRO (California Association of Human Rights Organizations), April/May 1998.

2001

• John W. Dean, "Examining the President's Powers to Fight Terrorism," FindLaw's Writ, September 14, 2001.

2002

• Robert Dreyfuss, "Colin Powell's List. The targeting of terrorist groups harks back to earlier repression of dissent," The Nation, posted March 7, 2002 (March 25, 2002, issue); posted on ThirdWorldTraveler.com, March 25, 2002.
• Michael Elliott, "They Had A Plan. Long before 9/11, the White House debated taking the fight to al-Qaeda. By the time they decided, it was too late. The saga of a lost chance,"TIME Magazine, August 4, 2002.

2003

• William Rivers Pitt, "The Sins of September 11," truthout, October 13, 2003.

2004

• Megan Shattuck and Suzanne Malveaux, "9/11 panel looking into Clinton documents request. Felzenberg: 'Should take about a day-and-a-half to figure out'," CNN, April 2, 2004.
• Philip Shenon and David E. Sanger, "Bush Aides Block Clinton's Papers From 9/11 Panel," New York Times, April 2, 2004. Subscription required.
• Dan Eggen and Dana Milbank, "White House Holds Back Clinton Papers. Former President's Aide Says 9/11 Panel May Lack Full View of Anti-Terror Effort," Washington Post, April 2, 2004.
• "The Mystery Deepens," New York Times Op-Ed, April 3, 2004 (Subscription required): "The Bush administration's handling of the bipartisan commission investigating the 9/11 tragedy grows worse—and more oddly self-destructive—with each passing day. Following its earlier attempts to withhold documents from the panel and then to deny its members vital testimony, we now learn that President Bush's staff has been withholding thousands of pages of Clinton administration papers as well. ... The White House held the documents for more than six weeks, apparently without notifying the commission, and might have kept them indefinitely if Bruce Lindsey, the general counsel of Mr. Clinton's presidential foundation, had not publicly complained this week. ... This latest distressing episode followed the White House's pattern of resisting the commission in private and then, once the dispute becomes public, reluctantly giving up the minimum amount of ground."
• Dan Eggen, "9/11 Panel Granted Look at Clinton Papers. White House Moves to Cut Off Another Dispute Over Testimony, Documents," Washington Post, April 3, 2004: "The Bush administration agreed yesterday to let the commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks review about 9,000 pages of documents from the Clinton archives, which the White House had earlier refused to release, despite the conclusion of federal researchers that they were relevant to the panel's work."
• Dan Eggen, "9/11 Panel: Bush White House Withheld Papers. Commission Is Demanding Terrorism-Related Documents From Clinton Era," Washington Post, April 8, 2004.
• Mike Hersh, "Republicans sabotaged Clinton's Anti-Terror Efforts," mikehersh.com, August 3, 2004.

2005

• "Bush Administration's First Memo on al-Qaeda Declassified. January 25, 2001, Richard Clarke Memo: 'We urgently need ... a Principals level review on the al Qida network.' Document Central to Clarke-Rice Dispute on Bush Terrorism Policy Pre-9/11," National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 147, Edited by Barbara Elias, February 10, 2005.

2006

• PseudoCyAnts, "Republican relativism: wiretap flip-flop," TPM Cafe, May 14, 2006.
• "New RNC Web Ad Blurs History. Another video on homeland security twists Democrats' words and exaggerates 'the Republican record'," FactCheck.org, August 22, 2006.
• William Rivers Pitt, "Clinton, 9/11 and the Facts," truthout, August 30, 2006.
• John Nichols, "'You Did Your Nice Little Conservative Hit Job On Me'," The Nation, September 26, 2006.

Related SourceWatch Resources

• al Qaeda
• Clinton administration: Homeland Defense Before 2001
• counterterrorism
• domestic terrorism
• funding terrorism
• George W. Bush's bank records spying
• George W. Bush's domestic spying
• George W. Bush's phone records spying
• illegal immigration
• National Office for Combatting Terrorism
• National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States: Testimony
• Osama bin Laden
• Patriot Act I
• The alleged linkage of Saddam Hussein with Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda and weapons of mass destruction
• "The Path to 9/11" (2006 Docudrama)
• war on terrorism
• weapons of mass destruction