SOVIET AID DISPUTED IN TERRORISM STUDY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00561R000100050071-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 9, 2012
• Sequence Number: 71
• Publication Date: March 29, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

S1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100050071-8
ON P.1 GE
SUV1ETA1D.DJSPUTD
IN TERRHIS1 STUDY
A Draft C.I.A.' Report, Now-Being
Reviewed, Finds Insufficient t'
Evidence-of Direct Rote
ByJUDITH MILLER
gpKlaltolT?N r?OrkTtm~e i ;
WASHINGTON, March 28-A draftre-
port produced by the Central Intelligence
Agency has concluded that there Is insuf-
ficient evidence-to substantiate Adminis-
tration charges that the Soviet Union is
directly helping to foment international
terrorism,- Congressional and Adminis-
tration sources said tcday:
William J. Casey.: Director of Central
Intelligence,. has asked his analysts, the
sources said, to review their conclusions,
given the substantial opposition to the re-
port from other ags,.xies..
The draft estimate, produced, by the
C.I.A.'s National Foreign Assessments
Center, has stirred debate within Admin-
istration foreign policy circles, as foreign
affairs spokesmen have publicly accused
the Soviet Union of training, equipping,
and financing. international . terrorist
pups r
The review, of the draft estimate has
once again raised questions about the
relationship between intelligence offi-
cials and policy-makers, with some C.I.A.
officials concerned that the agency is
coming under pressure to tailor its analy-
sis to fit the policy views of the Adminis-
tration
Charges in Last Administration
NEW YORK TIMES
29 MARCH 1981
One official said that a successor ha
not been named, but another indicate
that Mr. Clark's successor would be th
current director of the agency's ope
tions unit, John McMahon.
The special national intelligence es
mate on terrorism was begun soon aft
? the Administration took office,- offic'
said. Secretary`'of State- Alexander IN
Haig Jr. said on Jan. 28 in his first n
conference that the Soviet Union, as pa
of a "conscious policy," undertook
`.training, funding and equipping" of i
ternational terrorists.
The Administration has subsequen
said that combatting international t
rorism is one of its key, foreign policy o
--jectives
`Ample Evidence' on Soviet Role
In addition, Richard V. Allen,
dent Reagan's national security advise
said in an interview with ABC News thi
.week that "ample evidence'*'" had been ac
cumulated to demonstrate the Sovie
Union's involvement in international tei
rorism. Mr. Allen also said that the Soviet
Union was "probably" supporting the
Palestine Liberation Organization, which
he said must be identified as a terrorist
organization, through financial assist-
ance and through support of its "main
aims." . .
Finally, Mr. Allen concluded that Is-
raeli air raids into southern Lebanon
should be generally recognized as a "hot
pursuit of a sort and therefore, justified."
- Officials said that the draft estimate
contained some factual evidence to sup-
port charges that the Soviet: Union was di-
rectly aiding and abetting terrorist
groups, but that in. many instances the
evidence of such involvement was either
murky or nonexistent. -1 .
The estimate, which was circulated fore
comment to the State' Department, Na-
tional Security Council, Defense Intelligence Agency, and the National Security
Agency, stirred angry, debate and re-
sponse
Similar charges were made during the
Carter Administration -and resulted in
frequently, bitter exchanges . between
policy makers and intelligence officials..-
Bruce C. Clark, who heads the agency's
assessments; or analysis unit, is retiring
from the C.I.A. in April, in-what officials
said was a personal decision unrelated to
the dispute over the intelligence estimate
on terrorism. :, ? ?.::_= ? +;?:
\
commented."
.Other Administration and Congres-
sional officials, however, voiced concern,
that the agency was -once again being
asked to tailor its views to fit the public
pronouncements of senior Administra-
- tionofficials.
"There would not have been a review if
the estimate's conclusions had totally
supported . the Administration's
charges,". the official said..
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100050071-8