PRESIDENT EASES RESTRICTIONS ON GATHERING OF INTELLIGENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000404440160-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 27, 2010
• Sequence Number: 160
• Publication Date: December 5, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/27 :CIA-RDP90-005528000404440160-0
.~ I .~~i'1 ~~~~ APPEARED
OFd P iGE~~
By George Lardner Jr. -, ~~-
?~ingian posLStatt WAte[
President Reagan yesterday eased
many of the restrictions imposed on
U.S. intelligence agencies since . the
mid-1970s when he signed an exec-
utive order that he said is designed ;
"to remove the aura. of Suspicion- and
mistrust that can hobble" their.work.
The 1 i -page order, which sup-
plants one signed by President Car-
ter three years ago; authorizes the
Central Intelligence Agency:, to use
secret means to collect "significant
foreign intelligence" from unsuspect-
ing ,americans here and abroad.
It also will allow the agency to
mount covert operations-. in this
country if they are. designed -to sup-
- port "objectives abroad" and are "not
intended" to influence U.S. politics,
policies or the news mEdia.:
The executive order_ was issued
after months of backstage, debate,:
punctuated by periodic'leaks;- about'
drafts. = ~--
In a statement accompanying the
Reagan said the final decree-
order
,
had been carefully drafted "to main-:
fain the legal protection of aII"Amer-
ican citizens" while giving the'U.S.'
intelligence community dear guide-
lines for its work.
"Contrary to a distorted image
that emerged during the fast decade,,
there is no inherent conflict between
the intelligence community aad the
rights of our citiiens," Reagan de-
clazed.
`"Phis is not to say mistakes were
never made and that vigilance
against abuse isy unnecessary," . he
acknowledged. "But an approach.:
that emphasizes suspicion and mis-
trust of our own intelligence efforts
can undermine this nation's-ability,
THE 4JASNIiVGTOiV POST
5 December 1981
to confront the~iacreasing challenge I
of espionage and terrorism:' -~
The order reportedly incorporates
`at least portions of about T~? of 18 ~~,u~ ?~~, u, surieuiartce, rebazdless
."chari;es recommended this fall by of any connection'to forei~ govern-
alarmed members of the House and ments or criminal activity."
Senate Intelligence committees, but As a resit of protests by the In-
lawmaker's and civil libertarians nev- telligence committees, the ~ti bite
~' ertheless issued mi_Yed reviews yes- House abandoned a proposal that;
Y would have permitted the CIA to;
House Intelligence Committee infiltrate and to influence purely do-i
Chairman Edward P. Boland (D- mestic organizations. But the order `
~Iviass.) said he is gratified that the would still-allow the CIA and other
order "retreats from the worst depaz- intelligence agencies, aside from the
`tares from the Carter order" that FEI, to infiltrate such organiza~ons
had been proposed in earlier drafts.. for any one of a secret list of pur-
e Boland. said. he still is troubled by poses to he prescribed by the attor-
: the provision for collection of "sig- hey general. ~ i
nificant- foreign: intelligence" from Under .the Carter order, CIA in-
~American citizens even if they aze ,filtration of .domestic o aanizations'
not suspected of any wrongdoing or "was limited to a publicly stated set
of employment by foreign powers. of purposes including recnutment of
~$oland} promised close< monitoring a;ents, development of cover, and i
by .his committee to guard against undercover participation in technical
excesses: ~ society meetings not open to the
" :`: The next few years, as the general public: - ' " -
'new-order is implemented and inter- Reagan's order also differs from I
preted, will be important ones for .that of Carter "in these respects: - - - ;
'the oversight committees: If we do ? It changes the flat rule requiring
our job properly, we will be in a po- .the head of the CIA and all other
sition to assure the American people intellizence agencies to reuort to the'
!.that their rights are being safe- ,attorney general. evidence of possible:
~guazded," Boland said... violations of federal law by their em-~
Daniel Patrick 1~1oynihan (D- pIoyes. Instead, such reports are toj
N.Y.), acting chairman of the Senate; be made only when they would note
`Intelligence Committee, made a aim- i .interfere "with. the protection of in-
ilar point.-He said that he feels thel `telli~ence sources and methods." i
order makes it clear that the CIA's ? It revises the definition of "U.S.
mission is abroad but that "there aze~ `perons" whose ri;nts aze to be pro-
a very few provisions ...which, if' ;tested. Officials said the safeguards;
misinterpreted ? or stretched beyond, no longer will extend to U.S. corpo-:
the legitimate intent of their au- rations "directed and controlled by
.thorn, could pose some problems." I foreign governments," such as the'
-The most ~ outspoken criticism Soviet trading company, Amto~.
-came from Rep. Don Edwards (D- ~ In addition, because of the short-
Calif.), who said his House Judiciary ~ .comings of Immigration and Natu-
subcommittee on constitutional.
rights would open hearings "right ~ ' rahzation Service records, _ only
mown permanent resident aliens ,
away:' :will be considered U.S persons. Theti
"It's resIIy pretty bad,".the former 'safeguards are now supposed to ex-~
FBI agent protested: "It still puts :tend to all "permanent resident:
`the CIA smack into secretly operat- i : ~e~* whether or not the Ilv-S ~
Ong wtthtn the United States ... and ~ `knnar4 ahnut.the~ - -
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/27 :CIA-RDP90-005528000404440160-0 `~