AIDE TO HELMS IS FOCUS OF INQUIRY ON A DISCLOSURE OF DATA TO CHILE

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
4
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
December 9, 2010
Sequence Number: 
38
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 6, 1986
Content Type: 
MEMO
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0.pdf221.99 KB
Body: 
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/09: CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/09: CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/09: CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0 ,THE NEW YORK TIMES, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST.6, 1986 Aide to Helms Is Focus of Inquiry On a Disclosure of Data to Chile WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (AP) - The Justice Department investigation of a reported unauthorized disclosure of se- cret information to the Chilean Govern- ment is focusing on an aide to Senator Jesse Helms, Reagan Administration officials said today. The State Department and the Cen- tral Intelligence Agency say they have evidence that Christopher Manion, brother of a newly confirmed Federal appeals judge, Daniel Manion, dis- closed information received in a classi- fied briefing, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The reported disclosure involved the United States' ability to monitor inter- nal communications of the Chilean armed forces, through which officials had apparently learned details of the July 6 burning death of a Chilean-born United States resident at an anti-Gov- ernment demonstration. Mr. Manion was hired as a staff member on the Senate Foreign Rela- tions Committee on Mr. Helms's ,recommendation and works for the .Senator on the panel's Subcommittee 'on Western Hemisphere Affairs. Mr. Helms is chairman of the subcommit- tee. [ABC news reported that Mr. Man- ion denied being the source of.the in- formation.] Bob Dole, the Kansas Republican who is the Senate majority leader, said today that Senator Helms had assured him "he had no information, no knowl- edge" about the matter. Mr. Helms, a Republican from North jCarolina, has been angered by allega- tions that he and his staff passed along information to the Chilean Govern- ment. He said Monday that the accusa- tions were made by Elliott Abrams, Assistant Secretary. of State for Latin American Affairs. "They don't like the ,fact that I am opposed to their little agenda down there, which is to sell out the friends of the United States and cozy up to the adversaries of the United :States," Mr. Helms said. A State Department spokesman, Charles Redman, denied Mr. Helms's charge, saying, "Elliott committed no falsehood." Two other officials, who asked not to be identified, said the committee learned of the purported violation not from Mr. Abrams but from the C.I.A. A senior State Department official, also speaking on condition of anonymi- ty, described the disclosure as serious, but refused to comment on the nature of the information. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/09: CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/09: CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0 Helms calls leak charges against aide `ridiculous' By Bill Gertz THE WASHINGTON TIMES Sen. Jesse Helms yesterday said charges that one of his aides leaked classified intelligence information to the government of Chile, were "ri- diculous:' Mr. Helms said he met with Christopher Manion, an aide on the Foreign Relations Committee, to dis- cuss allegations that Mr. Manion was the subject of an FBI leak investiga- tion. "All I wanted to know, and I told him to look me in the eye, I said,'Did you in any way pass along anything, to anybody in Chile, or anyone con- nected with Chile?"' Mr. Helms said. "He said, 'No sir.' "Chris has never shaded the truth with me once:' said Mr. Helms, North Carolina Republican. "He says it's ridiculous, which it is:' Mr. Manion could not be reached for comment. Administration sources said the investigation involves the disclosure of a U.S. intelligence-gathering op- eration in Chile. One official called the compro- mise a "serious" disclosure of intel- ligence methods that revealed U.S. electronic evesdropping on Chile's military forces. "I gave Chris only one instruction [Monday] night and I didn't need to do that:' Mr. Helms told reporters. "And that was, tell the truth and don't shade it:' The North Carolina 'Republican repeated allegations that the leak stories were part of a CIA and State Department smear campaign. "They figured they might get to' N456',)+ hvie s 614tc VG me through Chris Manion," Mr. Helms said. "The whole establish- ment, they wake up salivating, 'How can we get at of Helms today.' " He said the CIA and State Depart- ment are "mad about my challeng- ing them on their agenda:' As chairman of the Foreign Af- fairs subcommittee on Western Hemsiphere affairs, Mr. Helms has been an outspoken critic of State De- partment policies and has blocked or slowed a number of ambassadorial nominations. Mr. Helms earlier accused Assis- tant Secretary of State Elliot Ab- rams, one of the few senior State Department officials regarded as a political hardliner, of providing false information about the Chilean leak to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The committee asked the Justice Department to investigate the alle- gations. Mr. Abrams has denied he was the source of the allegations against Mi, Helms and his committee. Manion looked .him in the eye, deniee secrets Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., said Tuesday his aide Christo- pher Manion looked him In, eye and denied passing", secrets to Chile. That was proof : enough: "Chris has never shaded the truth with me once." But the Justice Depart- ment wants to know if Man- Ion leaked how the U.S. moni- tors Chilean army communi- cations. It was through such moni- toring that officials here learned of the July 6 fatal Chilean-born, Washington D.C.,` resident during an anti-government protest, investigation no more than a State Departmentattemptto Helms has angered the:ad ministration by befriending a succession of right" wing"`for eign leaders, including Chi- can President AugustoPino- Chet; and using his influent-a-' Foreign Relations Committee post to hold up nominations. "They figured they ::might get to me through Chris Man- ion," he said. "The whole. es- tabllshment, they. wake up salivating, 'How can we get at forr,cornment But his brother Daniel Manion who nar- roWly wan: Senate approval peals".court seat ,:- said, wail be known that my broth- e;didn't do anything." Pinochet In July; an aide has said? details of the meeting never were discussed with Manion; .,The Justice, Department UPI MANION Not with Helms on July trip to Chile refused comment, but news reports Monday, citing ad- ministration sources, said Manion was at a confidential Senate.briefing at which the information was discussed. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/09: CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/09: CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/09: CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0