FBI PROBES CHARGES OF HELMS LEAK TO CHILEANS

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP90-00965R000504130032-7
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RIFPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
1
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
February 9, 2012
Sequence Number: 
32
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 4, 1986
Content Type: 
OPEN SOURCE
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PDF icon CIA-RDP90-00965R000504130032-7.pdf109.15 KB
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/09 :CIA-RDP90-009658000504130032-7 LOS ANGELES TIMES ~. Qauc~'I 4 August 19 8 6 FBI Probes Ch r f a es o g Helms Leak to Chileans Senator Denies Allegations Thstt He or an Aide Ti d ~ ppe Regime to U.S. Intelligence Operation By DOYLE McMANUS, Times Staff Writer leading officials ~ to trace the leak Harry G. Barnes Jr., "is carrying WASHINGTON-The FBI is in- back to the cnnservat;vP ~o.,,,,._ ...L _ r_ _~?? a~+vu ulc1C1a13, Helms or one of his aides deliber- all of whom spoke on condition of ately exposed a secret U.S. intelli- anonymity, said that senior officials Bence operation directed against in both the State Department and the rightlat mriltary government of the CIA were angered by the Chile, Administration officials acid exposure of the covert operation. S~~Y? "This was a very, very bad thing The Senate Intelligence Com- to do," said a senior official in- mittee asked the FBI to launch the volved in the issue. probe after the State Department He said the evidence that Helms and CIA presented evidence that or a member of his staff had linked Helms to the Chileans' dis- exposed the operation was solid. covery of the operation last month, "It is not third- or fourth-hand the officials said. evidence," said an official directly The intelligence operation, involved in the issue. "It's better which officials refused to describe, than that." was apparently aimed at gathering "Somebody clearly misused in- secret information about the re- telligence information here," said gime of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. another knowledgeable official. He "The Chilear>e were furious" when added that some evidence suggests they learned of it, one official said. that a Helms aide, rather than the Sen. Helms (R-N.C.) denied the senator himself, may have been the charges and accused Adminiatra- source of the leak. lion officials of launching the in- Helms, as chairman of the Senate vestigation for political purposes, Foreign Relations Committee's "The State Department and the subcommittee on Western Hemi- CIA are constantly trying to dis- sphere affairs, is frequently given credit me, and they're not going to access to sensitive information on be able to do it," he said in an Latin America, officials said. interview with the New York The senator has tangled almost Times, which first disclosed the constantly during the last five investigation. "The real need is for years with the State Department, the State Department and the CIA which he accuses of sabotaging to clean up their acts. President Reagan's foreign poli - "If they want to play the game of cies. intimidation, of harassment and of Gun-shy State Department offi- leaks, we'll meet them right in the cials refused to comment Sunday middle of the field," the newspaper on the FBI probe, except for one quoted Helms as saying. who carefully pointed out, "It's not Christopher Manion, a Helms us who initiated thi s investigation; aide on the staff of the Senate it's the Senate Intelligence Com- Foreign Relations Committee, said mittee." he was unaware of the inquiry until In Chile last month, Helms it was reported in the press. He said praised the Pinochet regime as one he did not believe Helms could be of ,the most anti-Communist in reached for further comment. Latin America, and he denounced Helms, a fervent defender of the American ambassador there for Pinochet's regime, was in Chile last attending the funeral of a young month on a weeklong visit. He has man who witnesses said was set on frequently criticized the State De- fire by uniformed men during an partment for putting what he con- anti-government demonstration. siders excessive pressure on Pin- "If President Reagan were here, ochet to move toward democratic I believe he would send this ambas- electiona. sador home," Helms said in an One source said the Chileans told interview with Chile's state-run the Administration that they television network. learned of the intelligence opera- A White House spokesman re- tion shortly after Helms' visit- sponded that the Ambassador, wntcn is to encourage and support movement toward democracy." In 1984, Helms accused the U.S. ambassador in El Salvador of vio- lating Reagan's policies and of secretly rigging a presidential elec- tion to deny victory to that coun- try's leading rightist political fig- ure, Roberto d'Aubuisson. When a rightist plot to assassi- nate the ambassador was later discovered, some State Department officials charged that Helms had unwittingly encouraged it: Helms denied those charges and invited D'Aubuisson to Washington to re- but accusations that he had been involved in the plot. The investigation of Helms fol- lows aspate of controversies over unauthorized disclosures of intelli- genceinformation. Reagan's Cabinet has met sever- al times to consider new penalties against federal employees for re- vealing classified information, and the State and Defense departments have fired several officials for leaking information to the press. CIA Director William J. Casey has also warned that the Administra- tion may prosecute news organiza- tions if they publish or broadcast previously secret information about electronic intelligence-gath- ering. The Senate Intelligence Com- mittee asked the FBI to investigate the charges against Helms under a Senate rule that prohibits members and [heir aides from disclosing classified information that they obtain through official business. Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/09 :CIA-RDP90-009658000504130032-7