Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP90-00965R000403720016-2
Body:
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/28: CIA-RDP90-00965R000403720016-2
ire
NEW YORK POST
29 November 1986
AFGHAN AND ANGOLA REBELS GOT IRAN
Ousted aide used
A
slush fund to bur 1 By NILES LATHEM
in Santa Barbara
arms from China Jand RACHEL FLICK
in Washington
PROFITS from the sale of arms
to Iran have been funneled to
guerrillas fighting pro-Commu-
nist regimes in Afghanistan and
Angola. The Post has learned.
Until now, the Reagan admin-
istration has acknowledged
only that the $10 million to $30
million in diverted funds from
the Iranian arms deal financed
the Nicaraguan contras.
But U.S. intelligence sources
revealed yesterday that pro-
Western forces battling Marxist
governments in Afghanistan
and Angola have received mil-
lions of dollars in secret aid
from the Iranian deal.
Sources said ousted U. Col.
Oliver North and retired Mai.
Gen. Richard Secord - two
men at the heart of the
controversy over the secret
shipments to the contras - di-
rected the diversion of funds to
the Angolan and Afghan rebels
as well.
U.& intelligence received evi-
dence about the Afghan and An-
golan o3oas m com-
mucation intercepts - tele-
merican arms were also pur-
chased through the same back-
door pipeline and delivered to
Angola and Afghanistan, the
sources said. -
The sources added that the
CIA appears to have been aware
that profits from the Iran arms
sale were going to the and Angolan -
fi
e were these other fast-
paced developments in the
scandal yesterday:
? An Oregon businessman
said government sources told
him early this year that the
Pentagon was planning to use
the Iranian profits to buy arms
for the contras.
Businessman Richard Bren-
neke said he Informed, a mili.
tary assistant to Vice President
George Bush of the plans and
was told, "We will look into it."
Brenneke's statements, if con-
firmed, would mean that more
officials in Washington than
previously acknowledged were
aware of the Iran-contra con-
nection.
Bush's spokesman did not re-
turn repeated calls seeking
comment.
? Several key congressmen
questioned the White House's
contention that North, who was
ousted from his White House
tional r.....~.,.,y in organizing the
The money sent to the Ango- arms sale. "Col. North lan rebel movement was chan- 'A declared n Pd not act alone,"
(D.
neled to the guerrilla group Vt.), vice clan of the Senate
UNITA, headed by the pro-U.S. Intelligence Committee.
guerrilla leader Jonas Savimbi, "I don't know who gave the or-
according to intelligence ders but Col. North did' not act
sources. on his own. He got orders from
The sources said profits from higher authority."
the Iranian arms sale were used
to purchase military hardware
from China.
The equipment was then
shipped to the Portuguese terri-
tory of Macao. From there the
weapons were sent to Portugal
and finally to UNITA forces in 0 Nicaraguan contra leaders
Angola. said they feared that a deepen.
Angola is a former colony of ing White House scandal could
Portugal. seriously damage or even de-
stroy their cause.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/28: CIA-RDP90-00965R000403720016-2
? A House judiciary subcom-
mittee released a report sup-
porting the call for appointment
of an independent special prose.
cutor to investigate possible