U.S. EMBASSY RADIATION STORY IS FRAUD: RUSS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88B01125R000300120093-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 10, 2012
• Sequence Number: 93
• Publication Date: February 19, 1976
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For
1 ! in 1^111 1. 1 1 1
Release 2012/05/10: CIA-RDP88BOl 125R000300120093-9
t:KiUAUO TltIBL:1E
19 FEBRUARY 1976
By James;0.?'Jackson
. NoscoV! Farrespohdent' .,:: " .~I
w..?{Mw~~rw ? .
Ct?kor, Tr';a+nt Pins See ce ..
rt:,Ol
. 'foSC011--Soviet authorities ? iejecled a' repo .
e
s
~
ea
American Embassy.-
h
~d
~
~
e
radiation hazards, at t
t6
clay as "a trumped-tip story from, beginning t:...
?
betuad t{
; ~. ,
? ; They said enemies of detente were
w{ n/?P
,..,.The Soviet posing, L- . as r pub
the radiation. scare surfaced, 10 days ag{o P news
t
ul
est
he ?
?
-
agency Tass carried
Izrestia went to press,an unusual movethatIndicated
i vestia"said' that Soviet 'end American 'specialists
embassy; and
lds; at the
fi
e
':.bare measured radiation
Soviet':and".American :safety.,.1
..found them well
Within
tolerances" s '..; f; = ; : -; a4., ':-~ ....- :
It-:suegested that' the :Americans-~'ere -aroducing --;
mush of the radiation with their own array of sophisti-
. cated communications equipment?and.antennas planted
on the embassy roof Which, it. said, ."is equipped dike a
IZVESTI-a MADE no direct' reference to assertions
by.'United States sources that the. radiation was caused
'.by:-Soviet-operated microwave:.beams?-used to control,
and activate listening devices. inside the embassy. Ac-
cording to -the, sources U. S. Ambassador Walter 3:`.
Stoessel warned embassy staffers.-of possible.-health,,
hazards from the microwaves.: ^~.- .'.:;~ .
-.But the warnings here ostensibly secret;, and the'
embassy 1:as refused all comment.on'the- press:repertt: -?,
on them. That no-comment rule extended to the report:''.
appearing is Izvestia. .. =:...
t'ot'e can't. act alone' on this;" an embassy source
said. "We'll have to wait until Washington sees it.';?'
:Sinee the start of the microwave. scare the embassy' ;
has been under rigid state Department instriictions'to.
shun all publie'commentt But so ninny staff-members'"?.,
were told of the radiation hazards that copious press
--leaks were guaranteed, and- they kept the story alive
oral da s: ?:.z ?- >.: .
TZIVESTIA? ti1T?.D\i?,SDAY?maintained? ?tbnt.the-lea'.:s-?-
were i.Rtentional; and that they.-were inspired.bl '?'cir;,,,s
Iles that oppose the line of maintaining and developing
good, normal relations betsV'een the USSR and the ..Unit
ed'States:'.' ~=
.Unambiguous hints -ere-drapp ed'to SP0"den
that s.-imething should leak into the. .press ire ?a light
hel-)`ul to ,the authors' fabrications,"' it. said. '!'In a
word, the`inventicn began to'emit. a fo?:il sme1l.'?`;eed-
less to say, Uus -is a. trumped-up story from beginning
.to end:'' . .
THE TONE of the Izvestia article indicated that the
p_cblem hasbeen. extensively d rcuszed.::ad analyzed
jointly,by diplomats and technicians of 'the two ccun-
tries.
sed bat des ate the t
"The fabrication&s been expo, p'
plain facts, the noisy misinformation camp a.ign has rot
stopped." Izvestia said, apparently referring to Soviet'.. explanations given to the Ameircans."one cannot help
as : ing -why it is needed, and by whom."
' ?An ;ez?ing.4t, ,question,,,?t'.ie.,newcspapc ; ror._l~;led
that enemies cf detente are respoosiblc:.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/05/10: CIA-RDP88B01125R000300120093-9