U.S. SECURITY LAPSES FOSTER SPY PLAYGROUND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000706190006-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 13, 2011
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: June 18, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/13: CIA-R
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U.S. security lapses
WASHINGTON TIMES
18 June 1985
foster spy playground
By Christopher Simpson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Overclassifying non-sensitive
documents and inadequate
resources are undermining -efforts
to stem espionage, 1ea tng
American counterintelligence offi-
cials told a House subcommittee yes
terdav
"We must face the ultimate reality
that no matter what we do there will
be other espionage cases in the years
to come;' L. Britt Snider, director of
the Defense Department's counter-
intelligence office said. "There is no
way to keep someone from becom-
ing a spy if he chooses to do so"
Mr. Snider and officials from the
Navy, the FBI and the General
Accounting Office told the House
Government Operations Subcom-
mittee on Information and Justice
that boosting resources and
tightening controls on classified
documents could help decrease the
growing threat of espionage.
Yesterday's hearing was the first
of a series planned to assess the
magnitude of espionage in the
United States and ways to prevent it.
The hearings were called after the
arrests of four Navy men, three of
whom are related, on charges with
passing government secrets to the
Soviet Union.
"In a country that has become
almost numbed by daily reports of
violent crime, espionage cases still
chill our blood," said Rep. Glenn
English, D-Okla., subcommittee
chairman. "Since espionage has
become a mercenary activity in
some people's minds, we should
make sure that the price they pay
when caught far exceeds the few
thousand dollars they might stand to
gain by selling out their country."
Rep. English, Mr. Snider, Bill W.
Thurman, deputy director of the
General Accounting Office's
national security division and Phil-
lip A. Parker, deputy assistant direc-
tor of the FBI, all said the number of
classified documents should be
limited.
Rep. English recommended
reducing the number of employees
able to obtain security clearances
and standardizing regular reinvesti-
gations of those already allowed to
view sensitive documents.
GAO statistics released in March
show 4.3 million civilians and mili-
tary personnel had security
clearances, an increase of 11
percent in 15 months. It is estimated
that 16 million classified documents,
excluding those from the National
Security Agency, were generated
last year.
"The proliferation of classified
information and the numbers of per-
sons with clearances can have
unhealthy effects and, rather than
improving security, can actually
damage it as the whole classification
process becomes cheapened," said
Rep. English. He endorsed,
increasing financial resources and
manpower for those agencies now,
underfunded.
Mr. Thurman, like the other wit-
nesses that testified yesterday,
refused to discuss specifically the
arrests of John Walker, 47; his
brother Arthur Walker, 50; John
Walker's son Michael, 22; and Jerry
Whitworth, 45. but noted several
weaknesses now plaguing efforts to
end espionage.
TWo GAO studies of classified
documents showed between 23 and
51 percent of sampled classified
material was not sensitive under
guidelines issued by the executive
branch.
He also noted 2,400 reports were
filed in fiscal year 1984 that ques-
tioned civilian and military person-
nel's possible security breaches. Of
these, he said, only 24 individuals
had clearances suspended.
Mr. Thurman said the guidelines
DOD gives to military contractors,
which outline how sensitive material
is lp.be handled, were "vague, out-
dated and inconsistent. We recom-
mended that DOD improve the
classification guidance given to con-
tractors;' he added, but "a lack of
funding and personnel precluded
any significant expansion" of exist-
ing programs.
All witnesses agreed with recent
recommendations to reduce the
number of individuals with security
clearances. Defense Secretary Cas-
per W. Weinberger last Tuesday
ordered an immediate 10 percent
reduction in security clearances
issued to personnel, while Navy Sec-
retary John F. Lehman Jr. said he
wants a 50 percent reduction.
"In the past 10 years, hostile intel-
ligence services have become
increasingly aggressive" Mr. Parker
of the FBI's intelligence division
said. "The FBI believes, as does the
rest of the federal government, that
we must continue to enhance our
counterintelligence and counter-
measure programs without
encroaching on the perso-n-a7i6er-
ties of our citizens."
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/13: CIA-RDP90-00965R000706190006-6