UPI NewsTrack TopNews

Museum shooter charged with guard's death

WASHINGTON, June 11 (UPI) -- The man accused of killing a Holocaust Memorial Museum guard had a member of Congress' office address in his possession, U.S. Capitol Police say.

Senate Sergeant at Arms Terry Gainer said there was no current threat to the lawmaker, who has been notified of the development, but Capitol Police were keeping apprised of developments from both state and local law enforcement agencies, The Hill reported Thursday.

During a briefing Thursday FBI Deputy Special Agent in Charge Joe Persichini said a search of suspect James W. von Brunn's car turned up "documents and papers" containing names and addresses. Officials made contact "if there was any type of potential threat."

Von Brunn was listed in critical condition at a Washington hospital from a gunshot wound he received during an exchange of gunfire with Holocaust Museum security guards Wednesday. The suspect was charged with murder in the shooting death of security guard Stephen Tyrone Johns, 36.

The criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said a notepad found in von Brunn's car contained a notation from the suspect that President Barack Obama was "created by Jews" and stated his concern that he would have his weapons taken away, the Washington publication reported.

The complaint, quoting von Brunn's notebook, said: "You want my weapons -- this is how you'll get them. The Holocaust is a lie. Obama was created by Jews. Obama does what his Jew owners tell him to do."

FBI officials are looking into possibly filing charges of civil rights violations and hate crimes, said Persichini of the Washington FBI field office.

"We know what Mr. von Brunn did yesterday at the museum. Now our responsibility is to determine why he did it," Persichini said.

The FBI had no active investigation on von Brunn but knows about him and his anti-Semitic views, activities and publications, including a Web site, Persichini said.

Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier said "a caring" Johns opened the door to allow von Brunn to enter the Holocaust Museum. As he entered the foyer, von Brunn raised his rifle and opened fire, striking Johns before being shot by two other security guards.

The Holocaust Museum was closed Thursday and flags flew at half-staff to honor Johns.

Senate passes bill to toughen tobacco laws

WASHINGTON, June 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate voted 79-17 Thursday to pass a bill that would toughen tobacco laws, including authorizing the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco.

Among other things, the Family Smoking and Tobacco Control Act would give the federal government the power to regulate cigarette ingredients, ban the marketing of "light cigarettes" and require graphic warning labels, The Washington Post reported.

The bill also would require tobacco companies to disclose detailed information about their product's ingredients and would allow the FDA to require changes to protect public health.

The measure will be returned to the House for final passage.

President Barack Obama, who has struggled to kick the cigarette habit, said he would sign the bill.

Obama praised the Senate's action, saying once legislation is returned to the House for final passage, "it will make history by giving the scientists and medical experts at the FDA the power to take sensible steps that will reduce tobacco's harmful effects and prevent tobacco companies from marketing their products to children."

Napolitano: U.S. expected pandemic alert

WASHINGTON, June 11 (UPI) -- U.S. officials expected the World Health Organization to declare the H1N1 flu outbreak a pandemic, two Cabinet officials said Thursday.

"Once we saw how fast this virus was spreading, we activated our pandemic plans and started doing all the things we needed to do to keep the public as safe and secure as possible," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a joint statement with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

The WHO declaration Thursday reminds the world that "flu viruses like H1N1 need to be taken seriously," Sebelius said.

While the United States hasn't seen the large number of severe cases other countries have, Sebelius said, "things could possibly be very different in the fall ... and we need to start preparing now in order to be ready for a possible H1N1 immunization campaign starting in late September."

Napolitano said the U.S. response to the H1N1 outbreak in April was with the presumption that a pandemic was likely.

"We acted aggressively to stay ahead of the virus as it spread across the country," she said. "Now our challenge is to prepare for a possible return in the fall."

President Barack Obama always treated the H1N1 outbreak seriously, Deputy White House Press Secretary Bill Burton said.

"What the World Health Organization has done today is more an issue of geography than intensity.

Burton said. "And so our response will be as aggressive as it has been in making sure we're doing everything possible to mitigate its spread."

Pentagon official indicted in spying case

WASHINGTON, June 11 (UPI) -- A federal grand jury in Virginia indicted a Pentagon official on espionage charges, alleging he passed classified information to China.

James Wilbur Fondren Jr. was indicted on one count of conspiracy to pass along classified information and act as a spy, four counts of unlawfully transmitting classified information to a foreign government and three counts of making false statements to the FBI, the Justice Department said in a news release Thursday.

The indictment alleged that from November 2004 to February 2008 Fondren, a Pentagon employee with top secret clearance, provided classified Defense Department documents and other information to Tai Shen Kuo, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Taiwan.

Fondren has been on administrative leave with pay since mid-February 2008. He surrendered to federal agents May 13 after being charged, the Justice Department said.

Fondren knew that Kuo had a relationship with an official of the People's Republic of China, the indictment said. Fondren and the Chinese official exchanged more than 40 e-mails between March 1999 and November 2000, the indictment said.

Fondren allegedly provided classified information to the Chinese official through Kuo by incorporating the information into "opinion papers" he sold to Kuo, Justice Department officials said.