CIA CHIDED ON COVERT AID

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000504880012-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 8, 2012
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: January 9, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP90-00965R000504880012-7 ')TAT
ARTICLE APPEARED
CN PAGE________
'HI GO TZ13UT
9 Jan,.-.ry 1985
CIA chided on covert aid
Nicaragua funds:may be in jeopardy
By James O'Shea
Chicago Tribune
WASHINGTON-The Senate Intelligence
Committee on Monday criticized the, CIA's
management and supervision of its covert
war against the Nicaraguan government and
said the actions of the spy agency contributed
to Congress' decision to cut off funds for U.S.-
backed rebels fighting the Sandinistas.
In a 61-page report that summarized the
committees actions for the year, the panel
also predicted that the Central Intelligence
Agency's role in the mining of harbors in
Nicaragud and the production of a guerrilla
warfare manual that advocated assassination
of- Sandinista government officials would
make it difficult for President Reagan to get
more money for, the rebels from the new
Congress.
"The program in Nicaragua gave rise to
serious and difficult issues for the commit-
tee," the report said, adding:
"The mining of Nicaragua s harbors in 1984
and the failure of [CIA. Director William
Casey] to adequately notify the committee of
it in advance precipitated a crisis in the
committee's relationship with the intelligence
community. Inadequate supervision and man-
agement of this program in 1983 and 1984
certainly contributed to" the congressional
-cutoff of funds for the rebels last October.
THE, REPORT by the Republican-control-
led Senate committee echoed the criticisms
leveled at the CIA by the Democratic-control-
led House Intelligence Committee, whose new
chairman Rep. Lee Hamilton [D., Ind.], last
week said he would conduct a review of all
CIA covert actions, at least partly because of
the CIA's handling of the Nicaraguan situa-
tion.
The United States has provided funds to the
.rebels, also known as contras, ever since
Reagan authorized the program in Decem-
ber, 1981. The administration justified pro-
viding funds by saying that the aid was used
to interdict arms flowing from the Sandinis-
tas in Nicaragua to leftist guerrillas trying to
overthrow the U.S.-backed government in El
Salvador.
In the last year, however, Congress learned
that the CIA had a hand in actions that
clearly went beyond the interdiction of arms.
Tj e agency played f _role in the mining of
Nicaraguan harbors. In addition, it helped
produce a guerrilla-warfare manual that ad-
vocated "the selective use of violence" to
"neutralize" Nicaraguan officials and topple
the Sandinista government, which, according
to several members of the House Intelligence
Committee, constituted a clear violation of
U.S.. law.
SO, LATE IN the year, Congress.voted to
cut off aid to the contras until, Feb. 28, 198::.
At that time, it will consider voting, to release
$14 million in aid to the rebeis''i? the Presi-
dent submits a report stating that Nicaragua
is supporting other leftist guerrillas in Cen-
tral America.
The administration already is preparing a
lobbying effort to convince Congress that it
should provide funds for Reagan's program.
The report by the Senate committee, which
has generally been sympathetic to the CIA
over the last few years, won't help the ad-
ministration's case.
Although it provides no new information
the r Senate report puts into the public record
a detailed history of the effort and the
troubles it has had in Congress.
The report said the aid to the contras itself
was not the problem.
"HOWEVER, without notifying the Con.
gress," the committee report said, "ma'or
changes were made in the conduct of this
program, including the mining of the harbors.
The committee was not informed of these
actions until after they were substantially
accomplished."
After Congress adjourned, the Associated
Press reported that the CIA had helped pro-
duce "Psychological Operations in Guerrilla
War," a manual that advised the contras on
techniques for battling the Sandinista govern-
ment and advocated the use of violence to
"neutralize" specific targets.
The CIA denied the common interpretation !
that "neutralize" amounted to the advocacy'
of assassination, an action barred by a 1981
executive order.
Six midlevel CIA employees were subjected
to mild disciplinary action for their role in
producing the manual, and the CIA contract
employee who drafted it was dismissed.
Casey also pledged that he would set up new
rules to prevent a similar situation in the
future. -
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP90-00965R000504880012-7