Nation digest 2/15/02

Retired sergeant accused in spy offer

Federal prosecutors on Thursday charged a retired Air Force master sergeant with attempting to spy for Iraq, Libya and China, accusing Brian P. Regan of writing Saddam Hussein to offer his services for $13 million.

It was the second time that Regan, who worked as a civilian at the National Reconnaissance Office, had been indicted on charges of attempted espionage. Last November, Regan had pleaded innocent in federal court.

Regan was named Thursday in a four-count indictment, said Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson. The indictment quoted Regan as telling Iraq's president in a letter: "I am willing to commit espionage against the United States by providing your country with highly classified information."

Regan demanded $13 million from Iraq in exchange for providing classified information, the indictment charged.

Recall issued for some Grand Cherokees

The makers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee are recalling 1.6 million 1993-1998 model-year vehicles after complaints the vehicle may move even after the gear shift is in park.

At least 59 injuries have been blamed on the problem, DaimlerChrysler AG spokeswoman Angela Spencer Ford said Thursday.

She said there had been at least 200 complaints.

The automaker said no defect was found during an investigation, but it will install an additional system in the floor shifter mechanism.

Owners will receive recall notices by mail.

CDC wants more heart attack educationAbout half of all deaths from heart disease happen before the patient can get to a hospital, the government reported Thursday, a finding health officials called alarming.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the study shows the need for a new national push to recognize the early warning signs of heart attacks. Heart disease is the nation's leading cause of death.

The study examined the 729,000 heart disease deaths reported in the United States in 1999. About 47 percent were sudden deaths that happened before the patient could get to a hospital, the CDC said. In 17 percent, the patient was dead on arrival or died in the emergency room.

The CDC said many people still don't recognize early signs of heart failure. Those include cold sweat, nausea, lightheadedness and shortness of breath, in addition to pain in the chest, arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach.

15 airports will have federal screeners

The new federal office in charge of airline security announced Thursday that 15 airports will be the first group to have government employees conduct passenger and baggage screening.

The 15 airports -- including Atlanta, Baltimore-Washington, Boston, Chicago O'Hare and New York Kennedy -- are being studied by the new Transportation Security Administration as it prepares to replace the private companies now handling security.

By Nov. 19, passengers at all 429 commercial airports are to be screened by a higher-paid, better-trained federal work force.

These steps were outlined as the new agency prepared to assume responsibility on Sunday for protecting airline passengers.

Official says identity theft growing fastestIdentity theft may be one of the fastest growing crimes in the country, a government investigator said Thursday.

"I can't think of one that's rising faster," Richard Stana, justice issues director at the General Accounting Office, told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee.

Some privacy groups estimate that as many as 750,000 people a year are victims of identity theft, said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who called the hearing.

No one knows exactly how many identity theft crimes there are because no one tracks the data.

-- From wire reports