U.S. OFFICER ADVISES CONTRA CHIEFS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000504860029-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 7, 2012
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: August 9, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Co A roved for Release 2012/02/08 :CIA-RDP90-009658000504860029-1 STAT
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ARTICLE
ON PA(~
WASHINGTON TIMES
9 August 1985
U.S. officer advises Contra chiefs
By Jeremiah O'Leary
THE NMSMINGTON TIMES
President Reagan said yesterday
no law is being violated when a U.S.
military officer on the staff of the
National Security Council advises
leaders of the Nicaraguan resis-
tance forces.
But the disclosure in The New
York Times that the officer is report-
edly helping raise funds from pri-
vate sources and is giving military
advice to the Nicaraguan rebels is
causing headaches at the NSC. The
disclosure may have scotched the
original plan to have the NSC admin-
isterthe $27 million in humanitarian
aid in the supplemental spending bill
President Reagan is expected to sign
within 24 hours.
White House spokesman Larry
Speakes said yesterday he does not
know if a special agency is being
created to channel the funds to the
anti-Sandinista forces. The original
administration plan was to use the
NSC since the legislation prohibits
the Central Intelligence Agency or
Department of Defense from dis-
pensing the money.
State Department spokesman
Bernard Kalb had no comment on
The New York Times report. How-
ever, Mr. Kalb denied that any
decision has been reached on setting
up a new office at the State Depart-
ment to disperse aid to the Nica-
raguan resistance. "No decision has
been made on when, why, or where
on that subject;' he said.
Some observers believe that
administration officials, after pub-
lication of the article, may find it
impolitic for the NSC, a White House
agency, to handle aid to the resis-
tance forces. The administration is
likely now to funnel the funds
through the State Department,
Agency for [nternational Develop-
ment or some yet unformed special
agency.
One legislator said he had been
told the administering agency would
be called the Agency for Humanitar-
ian Assistance.
The White House is concerned
that some newsmen
now e i en-
t~ y o
i
el-
igence opera ions
g
en ra mer~ca an
r-
ism.
a ew or
Imes, an o
tal
sae
nows e o
t
s owe
response i i y in no isc os-
ing it.
This reporter also knows the man
and is withholding his identity
because of concern for his safety
and well-being and that of his family.
The officer is not covered by the For-
eign Agents Act, which protects
some U.S. officials, because he is in
the military service on assignment
to the NSC.
The NSC officer took over the
assignment o ass~stmg tcaraguan
retieT-forces w en on ress enacted
egts ahon or t utg t e to
con tnue wor tn~ wt tem.
n o~ ne occasion tTiis year, this
reporter was having lunch with two
Nicaraguan Embassy officials in a
restaurant near the White House
and was surprised to see Adolfo
Calero, commander in chief of the
National Democratic Force, a
16,000-man guerrilla group, and the
NSC officer sitting just two tables
away. The officer declined to be
interviewed.
There is no investigation being
conducted by the White House or the
NSC to discover which senior admin-
istration officials disclosed to The
New York Times who the officer is
and that he has "the Central
American account" at the NSC.
White House press spokesman
Larry Speakes told reporters yester-
day that no member of the NSC has
violated any law in dealing with the
Nicaraguan opposition. President
Reagan was asked about NSC
staffers working with the Nicara-
guan resistance forces as he signed
the foreign aid bill. He answered,
"That's a question that kind of traps
me. We are not violating any laws:'
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08 :CIA-RDP90-009658000504860029-1