N.Y. bomb scares go on

For the third straight day, New York City has been hit by a wave of bomb scares, Monitor correspondent Ward Morehouse III reports. Police report more than 100 scares, with five bombs found. The Puerto Rican Armed Resistance group , which may be linked with FALN (Fuerzan Armadas de Liberacion Nacional), a terrorist group seeking Puerto Rico's independence, claimed responsibility for a bombing at Kennedy Airport that killed oned man. FALN members are also being sought.

Despite the bomb scares, the Federal Bureau of Investigation says domestic terrorism incidents have declined sharply since 1977. But, terrorists in recent year have shown more of a disregard for human injury.

According to the FBI, in 1977 there were 111 "terrorist incidents" including 100 bombings; in 1978, 69 incidents (52 bombings); in 1979, 52 incidents (42 bombings); and last year, 29 incidents (20 bombings). The other incidents involved shootings or other violent acts. Yet last year there was also a marked increase in injuries from the bombings.

"It seems that more recently they [terrorists] have shown less of a regard for injuries and death," FBI spokesman Edward Gooderham said.

The FBI credits the decrease in domestic terrorism this year to better cooperation among law enforcement officials at all levels and more sophistication by local authorities in fighting terrorist acti vities.