NICARAGUAN REBEL TELLS OF KILLINGS AS DEVICE FOR FORCED RECRUITMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000404600005-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 24, 2010
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: September 12, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/24: CIA-RDP90-00552R000404600005-4
ARTICLE APPEARED I
ON PAGE .4 /4
White House officials have acknowl-
edged that Colonel North, a Marine,
was involved in rebel activities and
helped the rebels raise money and ad-
vised them after Congress cut off aid
last year. Congress approved W mil-
ion in nonmilitary aid this July.
The White Douse would not comment
on the charge about Mr. Lehman today
and said Mr. Lehman was not available
for comment.
The House Select Committee on In-
telligence is investigating whether the
N.S.C.'s involvement with the rebels
violated the Congressional prohibition
on aid. President Reagan and other
senior officials have said the involve-
ment did not violate either the letter or
the spirit of the law, but some mem-
bers of Congress disagree.
Mr. Chamarro said he was inter-
viewed last week by the director of the
General Accounting Office's national
security division as part of an investi-
gation of the C.I.A.'s role in advising
the rebels how to lobby members of
Congress. The G.A.O. is the investiga-
tive arm of Congress.
Mr. Chamorro gave his affidavit to
Paul Reichler, a Washington attorney
representing Nicaragua in its World
Court case against the United States.
The Reagan Administration has
refused to participate in the case, say-
ing the court does not have jurisdiction.
In hearings that begin on Thursday,
Nicaragua will to prove that the
S~ been agents of the United
tes.
Mr. Chamorro said he remained a
strong opponent of the Sandinistas. He
gave the affidavit, he said, "not to help
the Sandinista Government at all." He
added, "But as a Nicaraguan I feel a
responsibility to tell the truth to the in..
ternational court."
Because of previous disclosures by
Mr. Chamorro, other rebel directors
voted to expel him last November.
Nicaraguan Rebel Tells ofKillings
As Device for Forced Recruitment
By JOEL BRINKLEY
Spedei to The New York Times
MIAMI, Sept. 11- A former director
of the largest Nicaraguan rebel group
says in a court affidavit that the rebels
routinely forcibly recruited new fight
ers by publicly killing Sandinista offi
vials and their sympathizers in many
small Nicaraguan towns.
In an affidavit to the World Court
that is to be made public on Thursday,
Edgar Chamorro, who was a leader of
the Nicaraguan Democratic Force
until last fall, said the forced recruite-
ment was wi espp and was done
with the knowledge and acquiescence
of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Rebel units "would arrive at an un-
defended village, assemble all the resi-
dents in the town square and then pro-
ceed to kill - in full view of the others
- all persons working for the Nicara-
guan Government, including police,
local militia members, party mem-
bers, health workers, teachers and
farmers" on Government coopera-
tives, his affidavit says.
"It was easy to persuade those left
alive" to join, he added. Bosco Mato-
moron, spokesman for the Nicaraguan
Democratic Force, today called Mr.
Chamorro's charges "an absolute lie"
and said, "It's repugnant."
. Assurance on Aid Reported
But in an interview at his home here,
Mr. Chamorro said he was told of many
cases of forced recruitment in the
nearly two years he was with the
group. Other rebel leaders have ac-
knowledged that some of their mem-
bers brutalized civilians, but they have
added that anyone found guilty of that
was expelled, punished or executed.
Recently, rebel leaders said they had
begun programs to insure that their
fighters did not mistreat civilians.
Mr. Chamorro's affidavit also says
two officials from the National Se-
curity Council assured the rebels 16
months ago that they would take over
supervision of their military operations
just after Congress voted to forbid fur-
ther American aid.
The officials, identified as Lieut. Col.
Oliver North and Ronald F. Lehman
2d, began meeting with the rebels in
Honduras in May 1964. The two assured
the rebels that "President Reagan re-
mained committed to removing the
Sandinistas from power," although he
was unable to say so publicly at that
time because of the impending Presi-
dential elections, adding that the White
House would "see to it that we received
all the support that was necessary for ;
that purpose," the affidavit says.
Mr. Chamorro's affidavit says the
12 September 1985
"piac1na them in a posi-
~~~ on omm m."
that, he said C.I.A. offi-
trios of various members of Congress
aS 8 means 011 ne Pressure on
mem rs to ange r votes."
The C.I.A. identified those individu-
als, Mr. orro said- anel he and the
W er rs uen y 'ro8rtici-In 1= 10bbVing itim,
sn er Instructions from the C.I.A.
-+4 um>C Su uea n the affers~
orr+o sa
er re o ears n r -
retie aC iyi ies
yins each
I`I lion -a month a rof ham
was Pxtpndm
"Our influence eve ma or HnM1
news r
radio to ton on
fIiA. omcull
C declined to comm n
tnejr relationship with the ft5QA-,
Mr. Chamorro said that when Colo-
nel North first visited the rebels just
after the aid ended, he identified him-
self by name but not by agency, and
w thought he was from the Penta-
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/24: CIA-RDP90-00552R000404600005-4