MCFARLANE CALLS AIDE'S TIES TO 'CONTRAS' ACCEPTABLE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000705960009-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 13, 2011
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: September 6, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/13 : CIA-
ARTICLE
ON PAGE
BALTIMORE SUN
6 September 1985
licit aid for the contras through pri-
vate groups to get around the
congressional ban on U.S. govern-
ment aid.
Private groups sympathetic to the
contras' fight against the Sandinista
government of Nicaragua have
raised funds, estimated from 815
million to 825 million, to help the
rebels since Congress refused last
year to continue military aid to the
contras.
Mr. Leahy said panel members
"hammered" on the question of
whether Mr. North had helped solicit
money for the private groups and
were assured he had not done so.
The senators said that Mr.
McFarlane agreed with them that
any active role in soliciting money
for the contras would violate the law.
The intelligence panel will inves-
tigate the matter er, e sena-
tors_ said, but they declined to say if
the wou summon Mr. Nort or
testimony. "it's not a close matter."
Mr. DLren r~ r said
McFarlane calls aide's ties Co `contras'
acceptable
By Nancy J. Schwerzler
Washington Bureau of The Sun
WASHINGTON - Robert C.
McFarlane, the president's national
security adviser. assured a Senate
panel yesterday that an aide with
ties to the "contra" rebels of Nicara-
gua did not violate a congressional
ban on aid to the insurgents, but
senators said they will investigate
the matter further.
In addtt1on leaders of the Senate
Select Co _tt- on nce.
which oversees the Central Intelli-
estab-
I1sh mound Hiles" limiting the aaen-
s role In the activities of the
contras. now that a ew trve n
on CIA involvement with the rebels
is ex rri
Mr. McFarlane requested the pri-
vate meeting yesterday with com-
mittee members to discuss the ac-
tions of Oliver North, a staff aide at
the National Security Council. Mr.
North had been linked in reports last
month to private groups that collect-
ed money for the contras after Con-
gress refused to provide military aid
for the rebels.
Sens. David Durenberger. R-
Minn., chairman of the panel, and
Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., vice-chairman,
said after the session that Mr.
McFarlane had concluded that the
aide did not actively solicit money for
the private groups assisting the con-
tras, nor did he offer the contras mil-
itary advice as had also been alleged.
Mr. Durenberger said that Mr.
McFarlane was "satisfied' that Mr.
North had complied with "specific di-
rectives" from the national security
adviser and the president that ad-
ministration officials were not to so-
e
the
from 13rovidl any direct or Indirect
tart assistance to err
Congress recently approved $27
million in nonmilitary. humanitari-
an aid for the contras. An office of
humanitarian assistance is being
created in the State Department to
disribute the funds.
The nonmilitary aid, which is
supposed to be used for food, cloth-
Ing and medical supplies, "does not
mean that they can use a back door
way to have military aid." Mr. Leahy
said.
atlonal Security Council be-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/13: CIA-RDP90-00965R000705960009-9