EXPOSURE OF CIA AGENTS IS ASSAILED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000605830030-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 20, 2010
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: February 1, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/20: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605830030-8
ARTICLE A_P?i Z?''D
ON PAG
PHILADELPHIA IN UIR ER
1 FE3RUARY 19,90
1 possible dangers in identification'of]..leading`to the slaying of Welch in'`
By Robert Furlow
. agents, Colby replied, "Y don't think 1975: "?_,.~, ':
,u,clo,;eaPre"
Schaap said he and others with his'
WASHINGTON _ In a polite dis-: Whether oi? not past identifications:1 publication have no? objection to
pute over dangerous secrets, fotmer:.
CIA dircctor,William Colby strongly;
editors who. detail, CIA operations ' actually have led to physical-harm, :straight intelligence-gathering by
disagreed yesterday with magazine he said,'. people are seared.*. ..people the CIA- or, other intelligence agen-
don't want to go to a dangerous,as- ties.'.
and identify agents:~ ~ .:. ~ ~ ?;: ,signtnent where there are known But be added; "We believe that the.
'terrorists out there and then ; have covert . manipulation for which the
Colby compared exposure of agentstheir names revealed.';, : w? I :CIA has become notorious= under; i
on risky undercover assignments to Schaap said he knew of no instance cover. officers and agents corrupting'
soldiers "being shot in the back by to which publication of an a ant s and bribing officials , ,bu fag elec-
fellowAmericansname had led to physical harm and ttons ` :all the way to bombings and
William H. Schaap,.co-editor. of the be added that if such harm had oc i assassinations,-.that this manipula-
Covert Action Information Bulletin,'' curred, "the CIA would have immedi- ! lion does not, strengthen.democracyl
said that m-igazine's naming of -ately called a press conference?ann :here In the United States but in fact
names has brought physical harm to we would know about it',; , v eakens tt
no agent. Ile said the editors' motive Colby. did not directly assert that In that hg' t, he said,-his magazine
is only "exposing what we view as,. any agent has been harmed as a clear.; concentrates,; ;on. exposing. what . we
the abuses" by the CIA..-: result of public identification, but he vizw:as' the :abuses. of. the Western
Both Schaap and Rep.-. Romano cited various publications'identiff- - intelligence agencies, primarily the'
itlarzeli (I)., Ky.), chairman of.-ii cation of Richard Welch, former.CiA CIA '-,-,and, the people re
house Intelligence 'subcommittee station chief in Athens;. as one cause sponsible to, t those abuses.';.".
;;,
...
d
e
ha
c
th
testimony, c
that hear
ra
ter
izcd it as;."profound. disagreement;
but no harsh words were exchanged:
:The panel is considering.. various,
;bills that call. for the: imprisonment
or fining', of people. .: who publicly
;identify U.S: foreign agents or their
secret informants :~ ~?.:.:.
There is wide support for the bills"
,provisions to penalize disclosure by
anyone who Uses his formal access to
,classified documents to,Identify,an 4
agents'
,;, How e'er; the "Justice' Department
opposes' another' provision ? of the ?~
version'thet the full House.lntelli-'`1
.Bence Committee backs, 'saying it
might violate eonstittrtional guaran-
tees of free speech through its penal-.
Mies for private citizens using public.
information to name a CIA agent. ` ';;
Asked bq Pdazzoli whether support
ers of the..bills :'are. overplaying":j
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/20: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605830030-8