LAWMAKERS CRITICIZE PLANE RESPONSE

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers rebuked Bush
administration officials Tuesday for what they called slow work on
investigating the Peruvian military's downing of a civilian plane that
killed an American missionary and her daughter.

"It's been 10 days," said House Government Reform Committee Chairman Dan
Burton, angered that the U.S. investigative team only arrived in Peru on
Sunday. "Why weren't they down there the next day?"

Further infuriating lawmakers was the officials' refusal to give details of
the April 20 shoot-down -- even to confirm the U.S. surveillance plane
carried a CIA-hired crew.

"No State Department plane was involved in this operation. Customs wasn't
involved. DEA wasn't involved," Burton, R-Ind. said to representatives of
those and other agencies.

"And yet no one can tell us if the CIA was involved because it's
classified. Tell me, why is it classified? A plane was shot down. Americans
were killed. ... Why can't you tell us?"

In the ensuing silence, Burton cried out: "Speak to me!" prompting some
self-conscious laughter.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., similarly begged for answers, finally offering
the panel a "lifeline" or to "call a friend," borrowing from ABC's "Who
Wants To Be A Millionaire?" game show. No one took her up on it.

The CIA was invited to appear, but declined to testify in public, said Rep.
Mark Souder, R-Ind., chairman of the criminal justice, drug policy and
human resources subcommittee that held the hearing.

Eventually, the State Department's John M. Crow said Assistant Secretary of
State Rand Beers, leading the team in Peru, hopes to complete most of the
investigation in three to five days.

Other details remained elusive, including how many planes were shot or
forced down during the 9-year-old U.S.-Peru program. Crow estimated 50
planes, but said determining an exact number would be difficult.

Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the subcommittee's top Democrat, said the
program "permits, indeed promotes, the killing of people who are mere
suspects."

A U.S. surveillance plane alerted Peru's air force to the Cessna's presence
- -- part of the program in which a U.S. team detects air traffic in the
drug-smuggling region and tells the Peruvians, who are to determine through
established procedures if it is involved in drug business.

The Peruvians decide what to do about a plane deemed a drug-smuggler, but
U.S. officials have said the American crew urged them not to open fire
because of indications the aircraft was on an innocent trip.

The program was suspended pending the investigation and establishment of
safeguards to prevent a repetition of the mistake that killed missionary
Veronica "Roni" Bowers, 35, and her 7-month-old daughter Charity.

Officials cautioned against a long letup. Robert E. Brown, Jr. of the
Office of National Drug Control Policy said drug traffickers "will seek out
those areas not controlled by sovereign governments."

Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., said he "strongly advocated continuing this
information sharing," noting the 68 percent decline in Peruvian cocaine
production since 1995.

The slain missionary's husband, Jim Bowers, 38, and their 6-year-old son,
Cory, survived unhurt. The pilot, missionary Kevin Donaldson, was wounded,
but managed to crash-land the pontoon plane on the Amazon River.