JUSTICE BEGINS PROBE OF U.S. RELATIONSHIP TO NAZI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000100370077-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 28, 2010
• Sequence Number: 77
• Publication Date: March 16, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/28: CIA-RDP90-00552R000100370077-8
STAT
WASHINGTON POST
16 MARCH 1983
A
Justice Begins Probe oFUX
Relationship to Nazi
By Mary Thornton
V.ashtngton Post Staff Writer
The Justice Department began a
full investigation yesterday into tht
relationship between US. intelli-
gence services and Nazi war criminal
Klaus Barbie, releasing records
showing that. Barbie entered the
United States on a Bolivian passport
at least four times in 1969 and 1970.
Allan A. Ryan Jr., who is heading
the inquire, said he hopes to "com-
pile a factual report . . . (about] any
relationship between Barbie and the
U -S. government from 1946 on, and
as rnt ci: as possible release [it) to
the public."
Ryan warned that because of the
statute of limitations, the investiga-
tion may not result in prosecutions,
bit he added that he would pursue
pros=cution if necessary.
'Barbie, a former top Gestapo of-
ficial who was known as the "Butch-
er of Lyons," was extradited from
Bolivia to France last month to
stand trial for "crimes against hu-
manity."
Attorney General William French
Smith said the Justice Department
has received assurances from the
CIA and the Defense and State de-
partments that they will "cooperate
fully" in the investigation.
. Justice Department sources have
said that Smith initially rejected the
idea of an investigation because of
the probability it would not lead to
prosecution, but changed his , mind
under pressure from Congress and
the White House.
Smith, questioned at a . congres-
sional hearing about his decision,
denied that he had vetoed an inves-
tigation. "We had made no decision
on that," he said, but added: "It is
true that it is not our essential func-
tion to engage in an investigation for
its historical value."
Smith said that a preliminary in-
vestigation of allegations about Bar-
bie convinced him that a full probe
was necessary. "We have seen
enough to convince us that the
charges that the U.S. utilized Barbie
for intelligence purposes after World
War II and later assisted in his es-
cape to Bolivia cannot be dismissed
and that a full investigation would
be appropriate."
Ryan said the inquiry would deal
with the following allegations:
? That. Barbie worked with the
U.S. Army's Counter-Intelligence
Corps after World War II.
? That U.S. officials in Germany
refused to turn him over to France
for trial in 1949.
? That U.S. officials aided Barbie
in obtaining travel documents when
he fled to Bolivia in 1951.
Ryan added that he will look into
what Barbie-was doing during his 32
years in Bolivia and his four entries
into the United States: Ryan is also
expected to investigate published
reports that Barbie may have been
involved in arms smuggling.
According to the documents re-
leased yesterday, Barbie entered this
country four times-in July, 1969, /
and January, 1970-using the name
Klaus Altmann. Ryan added that it
is possible that Barbie made other
trips to the United States.
Ryan said that records furnished
by the Immigration and Naturaliza-
tion Service indicate that Barbie was
using a special U.S. visa intended for
officials and employes of a foreign
government. The visas apparently
were issued by the American Embas.
sy in La Paz on July 17, 1969.
In information supplied for the
visas, Barbie said he was born in
Berlin on Oct. 25, 1915, and that he
was planning to visit New Orleans,
San Francisco and Miami. One of
the documents shows his temporary
address as they Avers Steamship Co.
in New Orleans. In an ABC News
interview, company president Wil-
liam Ayers said that ?Barbie had
hired his company to haul cargo be-
tween U.S. ports and South Amer-
ica.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/28: CIA-RDP90-00552R000100370077-8