MAGAZINE SUSPENDS COLUMN NAMING SECRET C.I.A. AGENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000606180003-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 20, 2010
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 13, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/20: CIA-RDP90-00552R000606180003-9
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ARTICLE APPEARED
CN PA GE_2
NO? YORK TIMES
13 MARCH 1982
iagazine suspends Column ..'1,
Nang Secret:.
WASHINGTON, March 12 (AP) - A
magazine that has been the center of a
bitter dispute over its naming of covert
agents of the= Central Intelligence
Agency says it suspended the practice
in its latest issue because of pending
legislation to make those disclosures a
criminal offense. - r-t:
But supporters '. of the . legislation
urged Congress on Thursday to press
ahead and enact the penalties so the
magazine, Covert Action. Information
Bulletin, did not resume the exposure of
intelligence agents.
"We're glad that the legislative ac-
tivity of Congress has led to a cessation
of their. practice of naming names,"
said Rob Simmons, staff director of the
Senate Intelligence Committee,. who
helped draft one version of the legisla.
lion.
But. Mr. Simmons noted that the
magazine's editors had said they were
suspending their Naming Names sec-
tion only "contingent on a court test".of
a Congressional prohibition.
.,arc.,.. _._._.
a ~- `An Ugly Business'
"This is an"ugly business that these
people are engaged in," Mr. Simmons
,said. "Congress should proceed in pass.
ing legislation so that they will suspend
Naming Namespermanently,"
Mr. Simmons also suggested that the
magazine might have dropped the dis-
puted section in Its March issue simply
"to weaken the momentum" for enact-
ing the legislation..:
The Senate is nearing final action 'on
the bill, endorsed by President Reagan
to impose fail terms on reporters and
other individuals who _ disclose the
names of United States'. intelligence
agents. A similar bill passed the House
overwhelmingly last fall.
Critics of the-legislation: contend it
could lead to the punishment of report-
ers who identify current or past agentsf
in exposing intelligence abuses.
Ian a.-statement accompanying' the
March issue, the editors of Covert Ac-
tion Information Bulletin said, "For the
first time. since its inception in July
1978, the magazine appears without its,
'Naming Names' column."
.`Because of the imminent passage of,1
the Intelligence Identities Protection;
Act," they said, "C.A.IB:. has. sus..
pended publication of this column until
the legislation, which we believe is'un-~
constitutional in all of its proposed ver-
sions, can be tested in the courts...
The editors said the' legislation ap-
Peared to be part of a driveby the Rea-
gan Administration to promote greater.
secrecy in Government while stepping
up covert C.I.A. activities. - , ? .
.. "We all are facing a period of increas-,
ing dirty tricks by the Government, at
home and abroad, coupled with moves
to make it much more difficult, even a
crime, to discoverwhat theGovenment.
is up to," they said. "The Intelligence
Identities Protection Act is 'Just. one
facet of this dangerous trend." ?
The magazine first announced its in-:
tentioa to suspend the Naming.Narnes
column in its last issue, published in Oc
tober 1981. That issue contained a sum-
mary of agents identified in the past as
well as a new list of names.' -., - 3
Mr- Simmons said some purported =
agents that the magazine had said were }
in Nicaragua had come under harass-
ment since the October issue was pub-
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/20: CIA-RDP90-00552R000606180003-9