"Beyond the Axis of Evil."

US Accuses Libya, Syria and Cuba on Weapons Spread

Mon May 6, 2002

By Carol Giacomo, Diplomatic Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday accused three more states -- Libya, Syria and Cuba -- of pursuing weapons of mass destruction and warned it would take action to ensure they do not supply terrorists with such arms.

In a speech entitled "Beyond the Axis of Evil," Undersecretary of State John Bolton said in addition to Iraq, Iran and North Korea -- which President Bush several months ago branded an "axis of evil" -- there were other "rogue states" out to acquire weapons of mass destruction, particularly biological weapons.

"America is determined to prevent the next wave of terror," Bolton, who oversees international security policy, told the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, in a reference to the Sept. 11 attacks that killed around 3,000 people. "States that sponsor terror and pursue WMD (weapons of mass destruction) must stop," he said. "States that renounce terror and abandon WMD can become part of our effort. But those that do not can expect to become our targets."

He said there was "no doubt that Libya continues its long-standing pursuit of nuclear weapons," as well as chemical weapons, biological weapons and ballistic missile capability. "We are concerned about Syrian advances in its indigenous CW (chemical weapons) infrastructure (and believe Syria is) pursuing development of biological weapons and is able to produce at least small amounts of biological warfare agents."

Bolton, calling Cuba's threat to U.S. security "underplayed," said Washington believes the communist government there "has at least a limited offensive biological warfare research and development effort (and has) provided dual-use technology to other rogue states." He said he was making these charges public for the first time but refused to name the states Cuba has supplied, citing a need to protect U.S. intelligence sources.