STUDENTS 'ARREST' CIA RECRUITER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00806R000201180084-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 19, 2010
• Sequence Number: 84
• Publication Date: March 13, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/19: CIA-RDP90-00806R000201180084-7
Dianne Cuti io
CITIZEN ARREST of CIA recruiter Steven Conn, right,
was attempted by eight students, including Nzingha Clarke,
left, at Williams College.
'
Students 'arrest
CIA recruiter.
By Dianne Cutillo Hall at about 1:15. As Clark began
WILLIAMSTOWN - The Ad Hoc
Committee to Stop the War Against
Nicaragua, a Williams College
group, yesterday attempted to place
a Central Intelligence Agency re-
cruiter under citizens' arrest.
But the recruiter went about his
business and interviewed some of
the 20 Williams students who
wanted to talk to him about jobs. He
will see the others today.
The protesters charged that re-
cruiter Steven Conn, by inter-
viewing students for potential CIA
employment, was committing a fel-
ony and said they had placed him
under citizens' arrest for soliciting
students "to aid in the violation of
national and international law."
CConn listened silently as student
Nzingha Clarke of New York City
read the charge and Conn's Mi-
rainda rights to him outside the of-
fice of career counseling in Stetson
to read specific charges against
him. Conn walked into the office
lobby. The students and several
media representatives followed him.
Vietnam memories
The action was reminiscent of
student protests-of the Vietnam War,
era. But the fact that the CIA, un-
popular with students then, had a
host of college students who wanted
to be interviewed was a reminder
that times have changed on cam-
pus.
The group charged that the CIA
violated both national laws, includ-
ing the Neutrality Act and the Con-.
stitution's War Powers Clause, and
international laws, including the
united Nations charter.
Committee member Thomas Ber-
ton, New York City, called campus
security to request assistance in
"apprehending" the CIA officer. He
said director of security Ransom H.
Jenks Jr. "laughed" at the request.
The committee members, who
had an audience of about 20 stu-
dents as they staged the action, ac-
,cused the college of obstruction of
justice.
'Growing movement' claimed
The group also asserted that
their action, similar to citizens' ar-
rests of CIA recruiters at colleges
such as Yale, Brown and Tufts uni-
versities, is part of a "growing na-
tional movement of resistance to the
U.S.'s aggressive stance toward
Nicaragua."
Committee' member Brendan E.
Glynn of Brooklyn, N.Y., said that a
decade ago. CIA recruiters were not
allowed to use campus facilities for
interviews.
Daniel O'Connor, dean of the col-
lege, said the students' action was
in accordance with a college policy
which maintains the right for stu-
d
t
t
t
l
th
ents
o pro
es
as
ong as
e pro-
test does not interfere with other
students' rights to interview with
the company or agency considered
objectionable.
Of the students' action. O'Connor
said "I think they were raising rea-
sonable questions and they did it in
a reasonable way."
Director of Career Counseling
Fatma Kassamali said about 20 stu-
dents were scheduled for interviews
with the CIA yesterday afternoon
and all day today. Another 26 were
interviewed in November. She could
not say how many Williams stu-
I dents are hired by the CIA.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/19: CIA-RDP90-00806R000201180084-7