AGENCIES HEAR OF TRY TO RUB OUT GORBACHEV

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP92B00478R000800130018-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 16, 2014
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: March 31, 1989
• Content Type: MEMO

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/16: CIA-RDP92B00478R000800130018-1
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
24 March 1989
Page - A3
Agencies hear of try
to rub out Gorbachev
By Bill Gertz
HE VASHINGTON TlhiES
U.S. intelligence agencies picked
up reports of an assassination at-
tempt against Soviet leader Mikhail
Gorbachev by Kremlin rivals ear-
lier this month, but were unable to
corroborate them, according to in-
tell igence sources.
Some intelligence officials at the
State Department dismissed the re-
ports as another example of "ru-
mors" spread by Mr. Gorbachev's
opponents to undermine his efforts
io liberalize the Soviet system.
But the sources said "highly sen-
sitive intelligence" collected in Mos-
cow from a communist diplomatic
outpost reported an attempt on Mr
Gorbachev's life by Soviet Defense
Minister Dmitri T Yazov shortly be-
fore a March 6 Politburo meeting.
Mr Yazov has not been seen in
public since March 3. the sources
said.
? None of the officials familiar with
the intelligence information would
comment on whether it was obtained
from electronic eavesdropping or
from agents.
The alleged plot was outlined in
CIA and Defense Intelligence Agen-
cy bulletins circulated within a
small circle of U.S. government offi-
cials over the past two weeks.
"We tried to corroborate the as-
sassination I report but were unable
to do so." said one intelligence
ficial. 'ho xvho like the others inter-
viewed declined to be named. ?
Coinciding with the aStiaSSiIIIIIi(
report, the sources said. intelligence
agencies observed a dramatic in-
crease in KGB communications 'on
channels rarely used by the sccurn \-
service and the deployment of uni-
formed KGB troops in trucks near
the Kremlin. where the Politburo
meeting was held, the sources said.
Another intelligence official
noted that reports of a Gorbachev
assassination also surfaced last year
when the Soviet leader x'as on vaca-
tion and two years ago when he %%xis
not seen in public for several
months.
"I suspect somebody is trying to
derail his lreform I program" by
spreading the latest plot story. the
official said.
npriacsified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/16 : CIA-RDP92B00478R000800130018-1