World news
House vote eases
law on gun control
■ ,House voted overwhelming
\w«Mke^th»v«u^;eu'n1itiilVlaw passedSln the
aftemiathoftheassassinationHof KobortkennmlyahdMartin
hulhVr kin# |r . I>ut retained a ban on 'interstate' handgun
hIm:, • .
^ The vote came after hundreds of uniformed policemen
roamed the Capitol ,is lobbyists.
The key ydte was 2H<>-136. and the House followed with
a 2H2-130 tally to formally sent! the legislation to the Senate.
The Senate, which passed a bill last year to allow in
terstate handgun sales and ease other controls, can accept the
House'hill of iri'sis^bn a -House-Senate conference.
For weeks, th'w jegislatibh produced high drama, climax
ing with police from 21 states arriving in uniform to confront
the experienced lobbying teams from the National Rifle
Association and allied groups
In the end. both sides can claim victory on the bill spon
sored by Rep. Harold Volkmer, I)-Mo. — but the gun lobby
more so.
NRA chief lobbyist Wayne taPierre pointed to the bill’s
lifting of an interstate sales Iran for rifles and shotguns and
federal guarantees that all lawfully held weapons can Ire
taken unloaded and inaccessible across state lines.
The NRA also approves, he said, of provisions that
would make it more difficult to prosecute unintentional gun
law violations, allow dealers to transfer guns from inven
tories to their private collections, and force the government to
return seized weapons after an acquittal.
Handgun control groups and police organizations can
point to the interstate sales Iran, adopted 233-184 in an
amendment that reversed a defeat on the issue on Wednes
day. and a unanimously adopted prohibition on future
possession or transfer of machine guns. Both measures were
proposed by Rep William Hughes. D-N.J., who championed
the gun control forces’ cause on the House floor.
The Volkmer bill was adopted with 128 Democratic and
158 Republican votes, while 118 Democrats and 18
Republicans were opposed
Hubert Williams, president of the Police Foundation,
commented after the vote, ’The core of the Volkmer bill was
interstate sales, and they lost on that one. There are still many
defects. On the whole, it is bad legislation."
He said police officers strongly disagreed with the in
terstate transportation previsions, with a reduction in the
number of federal inspections of gun dealers and the transfer
of guns to dealers' private collections.
Oregon's congressmen voted unanimously to adopt the
bill easing restrictions, hut voted against the amendment to
maintain a lain on interstate salt's of handguns.
Former secretary to guru
to face additional charges
PORTLAND (AP) — Ma
A nand Sheela, the former
secretary to Indian guru
Hhagwan Shree Kajneesh.
agreed Thursday to be pro
secuted on charges ranging
from attempted murder to elec
tronic eavesdropping.
In a hearing before U.S.
District fudge Kdward Leavy,
Sheela dropped her objection to
the federal government's re
quest to expand the West tier
man extradition order that sent
her back to Oregon.
The extradition order covers
federal immigration charges
and state charges accusing her
of attempting to murder Ra
jneesh's physician. West tier
many must give its permission
for U.S. authorities to try Sheela
on any other charges.
Sheela, 36, also is accused of
giving glasses of poisoned
water to two Wasco County of
ficials. causing a food poison
ing outbreak that sickened more
than 750 people, creating the
largest electronic eavesdropp
ing system in Oregon history
and plotting a fire that damaged
the county planning office.
She spoke quietly Thursday
when she said to heavy, "I
agree to the speedy extradition
order.”
Her attorney. Stephan Houze
of Portland, declined to com
ment on why Sheela changed
her mind about the additional
charges. He said l.eavy had
ordered lawyers in the case not
to comment publicly, although
no gag order was issued.
Assistant ll.S. Attorney
Robert Weaver said Thursday's
hearing "was in the context of
negotiations that have been
ongoing and that will continue
to be ongoing."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry
Sheldahl said that while his of
fice continues to negotiate with
Houze. it was too early to
speculate whether a plea
bargain was possible.
"I think it’s way too
premature.” he said. "I don't
think we expect an answer from
the Germans for 60 Jays or so.”
Sheela, a native of India, and
several other sect leaders
abruptly left their central
Oregon commune in
September. She was arrested in
West Germany last October on
the U.S. charges and was ex
tradited to Oregon in February.
She has been jailed since her
return and is scheduled for trial
on 33 counts of immigration
fraud May 5.
Another aircraft carrier
sent to form battle group
WASHINGTON (AP) The Navy,dispatched a
second aircraft carrier to sea in the Mediterranean
Thursday, but sources-said the Pentagon had.yet
to order a military strike against Libya in retalia
tion for recent terrorist attacks.
Should such orders be issued, however, the
Navy is in position to form a two-carrier battle
group that would include 16 combat ships and
more than 160 airplanes, the sources said It
would take about two days to move such a battle
group to the Libyan coast, said the sources who
discussed the situation only on the ground they
not be identified publicly.
The Pentagon officially declined comment
on the position of the Navy ships. But officials
who requested anonymity said the carrier Coral
Sea — its orders to return home canceled — had
departed port in Malaga, Spain, early in the day
Thursday.
The Coral Sea is steaming eastward toward
the central Mediterranean, but is still far to the
west of Libya, the sources said
The Cora) Sea had been scheduled tip depart
Malaga for the Atlantic Ocean and home, having
completed a standard 6-month deployment that
began Oct. 2. Hut the Pentagon confirmed
Wednesday night that those orders had been scut
tled for "an indefinite period.”
Military commanders say they must have at
least two carriers in the Mediterranean to support
any military operation against Libye. the sources
said.
By getting under way. the Coral Sea joined
the carrier America in operating within the
Mediterranean. The America ended a liberty call
at Livorno. Italy, on Wednesday.
The America had been scheduled to make
another port call at Cannes. France, but those
orders were also canceled. The vessel is currently
in the Tyrrhenian Sea. to the north of the island of
Sicily, sources said.
“Both carriers are heading in the direction of
the central Mediterranean, but they haven't form
ed up in a battle group yet." said one official.
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