NEW YORK (AP) – The Port Authority said Thursday it has security concerns over a plan for a Dubai-based firm to take over operations at a Port Newark container terminal and it will file a lawsuit to terminate its lease at the port.

Anthony Coscia, chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said the agency would file a lawsuit Friday in New Jersey’s Essex County state court.

“We as owners of that facility should be made comfortable that whoever operates that facility is capable of it,” Coscia said.

Coscia said he wrote to Treasury Secretary John Snow asking for details about how the federal government determined it was safe to allow Dubai Ports World, a state-run firm out of the United Arab Emirates, to buy a British company now doing business at the terminal.

“Unfortunately we have not received an answer to our inquiries,” he said.

The agency said it is not filing suit because of specific concerns about the Dubai company but based on concerns that the government’s secret vetting process was not thorough enough.

Many in Congress, including New York lawmakers, have complained the government did not do a comprehensive security review of the port operations purchase.

“Our issue here is one of lack of information,” said Coscia, speaking to reporters after the Port Authority’s board meeting. “We have an absolute responsibility to feel comfortable that security is at the very highest level.”

He said the agency “would like to have a better understanding as to who exactly would be in charge of operating the ports, what personnel would be involved, what kind of screening would be put in place to insure that individuals would have control or access to information … are properly screened, et cetera.”

The British firm signed a 30-year lease with the Port Authority, and that lease would be assumed by DP World on March 2 unless Congress intervenes. President Bush has promised to veto any legislation blocking the sale.

AP-ES-02-23-06 1713EST

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