DATE=        JUNE 8, 1998
TYPE=        EDITORIAL
NUMBER=      0-07819
TITLE=       EDITORIAL: TERRORISM AND THE WORLD CUP

CONTENT=THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO EDITORIALS BEING RELEASED FOR 
BROADCAST JUNE 8, 1998.

ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE 
VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

    THE WORLD CUP SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP BEGINS IN FRANCE THIS WEEK 
IN GREATER SAFETY BECAUSE OF THE PROMPT AND EFFECTIVE ACTION OF 
FIVE EUROPEAN NATIONS TO COMBAT THE THREAT OF INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM.  ON MAY 26TH, POLICE IN FRANCE, BELGIUM, ITALY, 
GERMANY AND SWITZERLAND ARRESTED EIGHTY-EIGHT PERSONS SUSPECTED 
OF BEING LINKED TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S DEADLIEST TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATIONS, THE ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP.  FRANCE ANNOUNCED IT HAD 
EVIDENCE OF POSSIBLE PREPARATORY ACTION BY THIS GROUP TO DISRUPT 
THE UPCOMING WORLD CUP SOCCER TOURNAMENT.

    THE ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP IS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION THAT AIMS
TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT OF ALGERIA AND REPLACE IT WITH AN 
ISLAMIC STATE.  THE ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP BEGAN ITS CAMPAIGN OF 
VIOLENCE IN EARLY 1992 AFTER THE GOVERNMENT VOIDED THE VICTORY OF
THE ISLAMIC SALVATION FRONT -- ALGERIA'S LARGEST ISLAMIC PARTY --
IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE DECEMBER 1991 LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS.

    ACCORDING TO A RECENT STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT ON 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST GROUPS, THE ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP 
FREQUENTLY TARGETS CIVILIANS, JOURNALISTS, AND FOREIGN RESIDENTS.
THE REPORT SAYS THAT, "IN THE LAST YEAR, THE ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP 
HAS EMBARKED ON A TERRORIST CAMPAIGN OF CIVILIAN MASSACRES, 
SOMETIMES WIPING OUT ENTIRE VILLAGES IN ITS AREA OF OPERATIONS 
AND FREQUENTLY KILLING HUNDREDS OF CIVILIANS."  AT LEAST SEVENTY 
THOUSAND ALGERIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN POLITICAL VIOLENCE SINCE 
1992.

    THE U.S. COMMENDS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS OF FRANCE, 
BELGIUM, GERMANY, ITALY AND SWITZERLAND FOR THEIR 
WELL-COORDINATED EFFORTS TO ENSURE SECURITY AT THE WORLD CUP 
SOCCER TOURNAMENT.  IT IS PRECISELY THIS KIND OF COOPERATION THAT
HAS PROVEN TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE IN COUNTERING THE THREAT OF 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.

ANNCR:

    THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S. 
GOVERNMENT.  IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, 
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT 
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR  FAX US AT (202) 
619-1043.  

05-Jun-98 4:13 PM EDT (2013 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.