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1993-03-05
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03/03/1993 By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen praised federal
agents Wednesday for demonstrating "incredible bravery" against an armed
cult in Texas, but predicted a government inquiry into preparations for
the raid in which four agents have died.
Bentsen told reporters that any decision on how to end the standoff
between federal agents and the religious cult would be made by officials
on the scene although he and President Clinton were receiving regular
updates on the siege.
"You are dealing with a man who has no sense of what we think of as
responsibility," Bentsen said of David Koresh, the 33-year-old leader of
the Branch Davidian sect.
Bentsen, speaking to a small group of reporters in his Treasury
conference room, pointed to aerial photographs to show how the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, a Treasury Department agency, had hoped
to stage the Sunday morning raid in which four ATF agents were killed.
Responding to criticism that ATF was unprepared for the raid, Bentsen
said the agents had received good training and had demonstrated
"incredible bravery."
He also said that there has been "marvelous cooperation" between ATF
and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
But he added, "Obviously when all of this is through, when you have a
major operation like that, there will be an evaluation after the fact as
to its effectiveness."
Bentsen, a Texas senator before his nomination as Treasury secretary,
said he had talked to the president and Texas Gov. Ann Richards on
Sunday following the failed raid. He said that Clinton had expressed
concerns about the safety of the children inside the group's compound.
Bentsen said the president was now receiving briefings from the FBI,
which is in charge of the negotiations seeking to get Koresh to
surrender.
Asked if Clinton would be involved in any decisions on what actions
to take if Koresh does not surrender, Bentsen said he felt those
decisions would be made "at the scene. I would think the settlement
would be made at the scene between the people negotiating."
Bentsen dispatched Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman, the
department's No. 2 ranking official, to Waco earlier this week for an
on-scene evaluation of ATF activities. He was also getting periodic
updates from Ronald K. Noble, who has been nominated by Clinton but not
yet confirmed for the job of assistant Treasury secretary for
enforcement.
Bentsen said authorities were still in the dark as to how many
members of the cult had been wounded or killed or even their exact
locations inside the cult's compound near Waco, Texas.