FBI'S WEBSTER IS NOMINATED TO DIRECT CIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000504310001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 24, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 4, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
i) Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/24: CIA-RDP90-00965R000504310001-1
ARTICLE AP"ED
ON PAC
J'_1
Senators praise
`integrity, ability'
of latest appointee
FBI's Webster
is nominated
to direct CIA
By Mark Matthews
Washington Bureau of The Sun
WASHINGTON - President Rea-
gan nominated FBI Director William
H. Webster to be the new director of
central intelligence yesterday. a day
after withdrawing the name of his
previous choice. Robert M. Gates, in
the face of congressional opposition
and controversy over his role in the
Iran arms deal.
Mr. Webster, a former federal ap-
peals court judge who has boosted
the FBI's role in fighting drugs, espi-
onage and terrorism in the years
since he was appointed by President
Carter in 1978, will replace the ail-
Ing William J. Casey. who resigned
the CIA post after surgery to remove
a brain tumor.
In a preparedl.statement last
night. the president said of Mr. Web-
ster: "Bill is well known as a man of
honor and integrity, as a man who is
committed to the rule of law, and as
a professional who is dedicated to
I the pursuit of excellence."
Mr. Reagan telephoned the FBI
chief to offer him the job at 10:20
a.m.. White House spokesman Mar-
lin Fitzwater said.
Mr. Webster "said he wanted
some time to consider this" and
called back shortly after 6 p.m. to
accept, the spokesman said.
No selection of a new FBI director
has been made.
The choice drew immediate
praise from the chairman and vice
chairman of the Senate Select Com-
mittee on Intelligence, which will act
first on confirming Mr. Webster to
the new post.
in a joint statement. Sens. David
L. Boren. D-Okla., the chairman,
and William S. Cohen, R-Maine. said
that Mr. Webster was widely re-
spected "both for his high standards
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WILLIAM H. WEBSTER
Director of the FBI
of personal integrity as well as for
his professional ability," and that his
experience as a judge "gives him a
deep understanding of the law and
the appropriate roles of the agencies
of government."
Mr. Cohen told reporters that the
panel would certainly question the
appointee about consenting to a re-
quest by Attorney General Edwin W.
Meese III to suspend, temporarily, an
FBI probe into arms shipments to
the contras.
But "barring some remarkable
revelation. I would expect [Mr. Web-
ster to] achieve quick confirmation,"
Mr. Cohen said.
The Justice Department has said
that the request to suspend the FBI
probe followed a call last October
from form?r National Security Ad-
viser John M. Poindexter to Mr.
Meese.
Admiral Poindexter, who later re-
signed over his role in the Iran-con-
tra affair, told Mr. Meese that the
investigation threatened a mission
then under way to free American
hostages in Beirut. Lebanon, Justice
officials said at the time.
The probe, later resumed, fo-
cused on the activities of Southern
Air Transport. a firm linked to the
Iran arms sales as well as the sup-
plying of arms to Nicaraguan rebels.
Mr. Cohen said he expected that
Mr. Webster would handle questions
on the episode satisfactorily.
The FBI chief later was In touch
with Mr. Meese about the Justice
Department's preliminary inquiry
into the Iran arms deals, the inquiry
that uncovered the alleged diversion
of the arms deals' proceeds to the
contras.
Mr. Meese told the Senate intelli-
gence committee that as the inquiry
was getting under way, he "dis-
cussed the Iran matter with [Mr.
Webster and] ... he and Webster
agreed that, as there was no crimi-
nal matter involved, it would not be'
appropriate to bring in the FBI."
The attorney general launched a
full-scale probe the following week,
however, after disclosing the Iran
contra connection. There was some
criticism at the time that the FBI
might have been brought in too late
to secure all needed evidence.
Before his nomination was an-
nounced, Mr. Webster testified to the
Senate Judiciary Committee yester-
day that the United States should
consider kidnapping terrorists
abroad to bring them to this country
for trial.
In recent years, fighting terrorism6
has been one of Mr. Webster's chief
objectives at the FBI, which has re-
ported a sharp reduction in terrorist
incidents in major U.S. cities.
The bureau, which investigated
some recent, highly publicized spy
cases, also has expanded its effort to
combat espionage and joined with
state officials in cracking down on
organized crime.
Mr. Webster was offered the CIA
Job after it was turned down by for-
mer Sen. John G. Tower, R-Texas,
whose commission produced an ac-
claimed and highly critical report on
the Iran-contra affair, a senior ad-
ministration official said last night.
Before Mr. Gates was nominated.'
Howard H. Baker Jr.. who is now
White House chief of staff, had been
approached.
Mr. Gates, who will resume as r9
deputy rec or of the CIA. came un-
der fire in the Senate for not acting
forcefully enough on early CIA suspi-
cions that Iran arms sale profits
were being diverted to help arm the
contras, and was questioned about
his role in preparing incomplete tes-
timony given by Mr. Casey.
Washington Bureau correspondent
Karen Hosler contributed to this
article.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/24: CIA-RDP90-00965R000504310001-1