C.I.A. REFUSES FOREIGN BIDS FOR ANTI-TERRORIST HELP

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP81M00980R000600080027-9
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RIFPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
1
Document Creation Date: 
December 15, 2016
Document Release Date: 
May 24, 2004
Sequence Number: 
27
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
June 25, 1978
Content Type: 
NSPR
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PDF icon CIA-RDP81M00980R000600080027-9.pdf103.98 KB
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Approved For Release 180R0006 0027-SPage 3 C.I.A. Refuses Foreign Bids for Anti-Terrorist Help By RICHARD BURT Special to The Nan York Ttmea WASHINGTON, June 24-The Central Intelligence Agency has reportedly refused or delayed a response to several recent foreign requests for help in dealing with terrorist actions, among them the Aldo Moro kidnapping in Italy and the hijacking of a West German airliner. According to Government officials and members of the House and Senate Intelli- gence Committees, the C.I.A., in contrast to earlier practice, turned down a request from the, Italian Government for a psy- chiatrist trained in terrorist matters and for sophisticated eavesdropping equip- ment to help deal with the members of the Red Brigades who kidnapped Mr. More, the Christian Democratic leader, in March. Similarly, the agency was said to have delayed an answer to a West German request for technical assistance in freeing the 86 passengers and crew members aboard a Lufthansa airliner diverted lasti October to Somalia. Several officials said that the agency's attitude stemmed from what they de-1 scribed as an exceedingly cautious read-' ing of prevailing legal curbs on the con- duct of covert operations and on the pro- vision of aid to foreign police forces.. For this situation they blamed the criti-f cism directed at the C.I.A. over its past) activities in Chile and elsewhere. `They're Really Gun-Shy' "They're really gun-shy over there," a high-ranking Administration official: with direct responsibilities for coping with terrorism said of the C.I.A. Until now, it was noted, the agency, had hats a lone record of close coopera- 1 tion with foreign police agencies in West- ern Europe and other parts of the world. It was involved in the establishment of state securicv services in such countries I as Iran and South Korea and made intelli- nonce specialists available to several na- ! tions during the 1950's and 1960's. The current situation as described by officials is indicative of the new problems the Government is confronting in at- tempting to enhance C.I.A. effectiveness while restricting its ability to intervene in the internal affairs of other nations. The agency's reaction to the Italian and West German requests is said to have' led to strains in relations with intelli-, fence authorities in both countries. It has also venerated concern among Adminis tration specialists on terrorism and the Congressional intelligence committees. Higher Priority Under Carter The Carter Administration has given a higher priority in intelligence policy to terrorism, and specialists report that the agency has stepped up programs for, exchanging information with friendly' Governments to ease the problem. But, they say, the agency has avoided a direct role in such cases as a-request by West Germany for help last October in remov- ing the doors of a hijacked airliner on the ground at Mogadishu, Somalia, with- out injuring the passengers inside. The specialists said that while a reply to the request was delayed in Washing- ton, a West German commando unit, benefiting from British assistance, stormed the airliner and freed the hostages. In the case of the kidnapping of Mr. Moro, whose body eventually was found in an abandoned car iii Rome, the re- .quested surveillance equipment was not provided, but the State Department did make available a psychiatrist trained to deal with terrorists. Officials said a major factor in the C.I.A.'s decision to turn down the Italian request was the 1974 Hughes-Ryan Amendment, which says that no covert action can.be carried out by the agency unless the President makes 'a "finding" that it is important to national security and reports it to Congress. Under the Administration's new executive order for intelligence operations, the officials said, the agency is permitted to respond only to "international terrorism." Position Is Charged They said that at first the Red Brigades' were judged to be a domestic Italian ter-' I rorist group rather than an international one. But this was reversed shortly before Mr. Moro's body was found, the officials' said, adding that a "finding" was made and transmitted to Congress allowing thei agency to respond in the event of further attacks by the Red Brigades. Officials also said that C.I.A. legal ex- perts had argued at the beginning of the Moro kidnapping that the agency was prohibited from aiding the Italian police by a 1975 amendment to the Foreign As- sistance Act, forbidding the use of for- eign aid funds to support foreign police activities. Although the amendment was designed to end State Department train- ing programs for foreign policemen, Wil- liam E. Colby is said to have promised while he was director of central intelli- gence that the intelligence establishment would also abide by the legislated re- Approved For Release 2004/07/08 : CIQS> i~t 1MOflastnRnnn4n~oOR 0_27=4