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DATE=4/30/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT (L-ONLY) NUMBER=2-248807 TITLE=GLOBAL TERRORISM BYLINE=CANDACE WILLIAMS DATELINE=WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE NUMBER OF TERRORIST ATTACKS WORLDWIDE HAS FALLEN TO THE LOWEST LEVEL IN NEARLY 30 YEARS. BUT A NEW TERRORISM REPORT (RELEASED FRIDAY) SAYS THESE INCIDENTS CAUSED A RECORD-HIGH CASUALTY TOLL AROUND THE WORLD IN 1998. V-O-A'S CANDACE WILLIAMS EXPLAINS. TEXT: THE REPORT, "PATTERNS OF GLOBAL TERRORISM," SAYS THE BOMBINGS OF TWO U-S EMBASSIES IN AFRICA LAST AUGUST MADE 1998 THE DEADLIEST YEAR EVER FOR TERRORISM. THE ATTACK ON THE DIPLOMATIC POST IN NAIROBI (KENYA) KILLED 291 PEOPLE AND WOUNDED AN ESTIMATED FIVE-THOUSAND OTHERS. THE BLAST IN DAR ES SALAAM (TANZANIA) LEFT 10 DEAD AND 77 OTHERS WOUNDED. // OPT // AN INVESTIGATION OF THE BOMBING IMPLICATED SAUDI DISSIDENT OSAMA BIN LADEN, A LONGTIME SPONSOR AND FINANCIER OF SUNNI ISLAMIC EXTREMIST CAUSES. LAST NOVEMBER, U-S AUTHORITIES (IN NEW YORK) FILED CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST MR. BIN LADEN -- WHO IS SAID TO BE LIVING IN AFGHANISTAN -- AND SEVERAL ASSOCIATES. // END OPT // SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SAYS THE UNITED STATES IS DETERMINED TO DO ALL IT CAN TO DETER TERRORISTS. SHE SAYS A COMBINATION OF DIPLOMACY AND TOUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT HELPED THE UNITED STATES APPREHEND A NUMBER OF SUSPECTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE ATTACKS IN KENYA AND TANZANIA. ALTHOUGH THE AFRICA BOMBINGS CAUSED MOST CASUALTIES FROM TERRORISM LAST YEAR, THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS ACTUALLY DROPPED. THE ANNUAL REPORT CITES 273 INTERNATIONAL ATTACKS, A DECLINE FROM (304) THE PREVIOUS YEAR; THERE WERE NO ACTS OF TERRORISM ON U-S TERRITORY. BUT THE LIST OF STATES CONSIDERED TO BE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM IS THE SAME (AS IN 1997). THE STATE DEPARTMENT LISTS CUBA, IRAN, IRAQ, LIBYA, NORTH KOREA, SUDAN AND SYRIA IN THIS CATEGORY. CUBA REMAINS ON THE LIST, EVEN THOUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO NO LONGER ACTIVELY SUPPORTS ARMED STRUGGLE IN LATIN AMERICA OR ELSEWHERE. HOWEVER, OFFICIALS SAY HAVANA CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN CLOSE TIES TO OTHER STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM AND TO LEFTIST INSURGENCY GROUPS IN LATIN AMERICA -- INCLUDING IN COLOMBIA. SECRETARY ALBRIGHT SAYS GOVERNMENTS ON THE LIST OF STATE-SPONSORED TERRORISM KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO. SHE SAYS THEY MUST STOP PLANNING, FINANCING AND SUPPORTING SUCH ACTS. MS. ALBRIGHT ALSO SAYS THEY MUST STOP SHELTERING TERRORISTS, OR INTERFERING WITH THE APPREHENSION AND PROSECUTION OF THOSE WHO COMMIT THESE CRIMES. (SIGNED) NEB/CAW/WTW 30-Apr-99 5:25 PM EDT (2125 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .