ROMAN ROLLNICK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00587R000200740038-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 25, 2010
• Sequence Number: 38
• Publication Date: September 19, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/29: CIA-RDP91-00587R000200740038-0
STAT
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
19 September 1985
THE HAGUE, Netherlands
World court judge Stephen Schwebel voiced doubts today about a former U.S.
intelligence analyst's testimony that the CIA had no hard evidence of
Nicaraguan arms shipments to Salvadoran rebels while he worked for the agency.
Schwebel noted that evidence from ex- CIA man David MacMichael -- a star
witness in Nicaragua's subversion suit against the U.S. government - has been
directly contradicted in a sworn affidavit from the Nicaraguan foreign minister.
The judge suggested that all of MacMichael's testimony was therefore suspect.
Schwebel is the only American among the 15 judges who preside at the world
court, the legal arm of the United Nations officially known as the International
Court of Justice.
In his testimony, the former CIA analyst sought to discredit U.S.
explanations that it began financing the Contra guerrillas fighting the
Nicarguan government because Nicaragua was helping to arm leftist insurgents in
neighboring El Salvador.
MacMichael, who held a top security clearance at the agency from March 1981
to April 1983, testified that during that time there was no hard evidence of
Nicaraguan arms shipments to rebels in El Salvador.
But, MacMichael acknowledged to the court, it ''could be taken as a fact''
that from 1980 to early 1981 the Nicaraguan government was involved in the
supply of arms to the Salvadoran insurgents.
Schwebel noted that Nicaragua's foreign minister had provided a sworn
affidavit saying his government is not, and has never been engaged in the supply
of arms to the Salvador insurgency.
He then quoted an interview with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega published
by the New York. Times on July 18 this year.
In it, Schwebel said, Ortega acknowledged that Nicaraguan territory had been
used to ship arms to Salvadoran rebels and that members of the Nicaraguan armed
forces had aided such shipments, although without government sanction.
Schwebel submitted 12 pages of questions on the ''contradictions in evidence
dealing with the arms supply issue.''
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/29: CIA-RDP91-00587R000200740038-0
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/29: CIA-RDP91-00587R000200740038-0
Noting MacNichael's admission that arms shipments were made before his CIA
tenure, he asked, ''If-the court is asked to disbelieve this conclusion of Dr.
MacMichael, why should we believe his other conclusions?''
Schwebel has been the only judge to question Nicaragua's witnesses at length.
In other proceedings today, Oxford law professor Ian Brownlie introduced
lengthy references to news conferences given by President Reagan and other
officials over the past three years to prove U.S. support for the Contras.
There is a consistent pattern of expression of admission (of support and
aid for the Contras) from the president of the United States and other
officials,'' he said.
The Reagan administration is officially ignoring the case. It said after the
suit was filed in April last year it will not recognize the world court's
jurisdiction on Central American issues for two years.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/29: CIA-RDP91-00587R000200740038-0