European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday january 30, 19s6 the stars and stripes Page 7 sex major claims proof of american pos Ity Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a former army officer told congressional committee tuesday thai he received Evi Dence As recently As last week that proves beyond any doubt thai More than 30 americans and others Are being held As prisoners of War in Southeast Asia. Retired maj. Mark Smith made the statement during hearings by the Senate veterans affairs committee into unresolved rep Orlof sightings of american pos. He declined to describe the evidence in detail but agreed to a so later in a closed session with the commit tee. The defense department has repeatedly denied an cover up regarding prisoners of War. A lengthy Dod press release last year Baid the information reported by Smith and Mclvin Mcintire was hearsay from sources that could not substantial the sightings or did not relate to americans who arc missing or unaccounted for tit Southeast Asia. Other witnesses at the hearing including Ann Mills Griffith the executive director of the National league of families of american pos and mias in Southeast Asia generally praised the . Government for its efforts to resolve he  had apathetic non efforts far a Long Lime bul there Are now serious efforts being made to resolve this Mills said. I know there is no conspiracy or  Smith along with Mcl lire a retired army sergeant first class. Filed suit in september against he . Government for allegedly covering up information on Ameri can prisoners of War in Southeast Asia. Smith commanded the special forces Del Korea which participated in training missions with thai special forces in the Early 1990s. Mcl lire was in the same unit during those missions. Smith said he developed contacts among thai soldiers laotian resistance forces and even drug and gun smugglers who had information about americans being held against their  reporting this to defense intelligence Agency and army intelligence and Security come officials he said he was old to proceed in developing information contacts. From August 1931 to april 1934, Smith said he trav eled to Thailand about once every two or three months. By Early 1932, we were convinced that there were american prisoners being held against their will Smith  april 1984, Smith said he received word from a general in Thailand that there were three american prisoner of War available to be taken out of Laos in May. He said he gave that information to maj. Gen. Kenneth liner who was the assistant chief of staff for operations for the . Come and the . 8th army in South  said he also gave the same information to the 501st military intelligence group and the Cia station in Seoul. South Korea. When this in forma lion was pasted on. All special forces Del Achmel Korea operations to Thailand and Southeast Asia were declared unauthorized and terminated Smith said. The conclusion that i reached is that the production of intelligence on american pos was determined by some Agency of the . Government to be unacceptable Smith said. I was Lold thai in was no longer Sadk s Jab 10 develop or to have any further participation in the pow-m1a Issue. "1 was told  if i wanted to be a lieutenant colonel i should forget about the pow-m1a information that had been reported through intelligence channels for the previous three years. 1 was Lold in no Uncertain terms that i should forget the matter he said he said Hal conversation took place in Lecuer s office in Seoul Abou. Two weeks after he gave Lucr the Brief ing folder with the subject entitled possible american Allied pos in Southeast Asia 10 april 1984." Smith claims Lucr handed the briefing packet Back and said this is Loo big for me to handle big  i Lold him that if he As a major general could handle it what was i supposed to do with it Smith said i was old that if 1 was smart. I would put the briefing through a shredder and forget the entire Issue Smith was later involuntarily retired from Active duty. Lucr has declined to comment on the Issue. Analysis faults ammo storage Tor danger Bradley s design could Cost More lives in combat Washington a the design of the army s new Bradley fighting vehicle is Likely to mean increased casualties in com Bat because ammunition is stored inside it an air Force officer who evaluated test re sults told Congress on tuesday. Ammunition in the troop compartment is the major cause of unnecessary casual ties col. James g. Burton testified before the House armed services research and development subcommittee. Burton s critical analysis was the latest round in the Long running fight Over the 25-ton vehicle that the army wants to use to carry soldiers into combat. Plans Call for buying More than 6,000 at a Cost of si.5 million each. Bul critics say the Bradley is Loo Likely to explode when Hil during combat and Woula cause High casualties among the nine soldiers Riding inside. The army says the critics Are wrong and contends thai any problems can be fixed. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberge lost year ordered a new round of tests of the weapon to try to end the controversy. The Testa involved firing 10 live rounds at a Bradley. Burton s critical analysis was originally suppressed by the army which instead provided Congress with a More optimistic assessment of the  told the panel that the design of the Bradley involving ammunition storage inside the vehicle causes equalities to increase by factors of two to three because inc ammunition explodes. Another problem is Hal fire extinguishers inside inc troop compartment might Force the Crew outside if the vehicle is hit. Burton said an action which could be deadly during  can be significantly reduced Burton said if the Bradley is modified by moving ammo fuel and fire extinguishers out of the troop  shortcomings revealed by inc live fire tests indicate similar tests should be made of All major new weapons systems. Burton said. There has never been a program to shoot real soviet weapons at . Vehicles loaded with the dangerous materials they have to carry in combat fuel Hydraulic fluid and live ammunition he said. Nor has there been a program to shoot . Weapons against combat loaded soviet Lehi  that Means he said that when actual combat occurs we discover too late serious shortcomings in our weapon systems Short comings which Cost lives. Sailor denied intending to kill officer Newport . Dpi a Sailor charged with Stab Bing an officer to death at sea wrote thai he had no intention of killing the officer a naval investigator Testi fied tuesday at he Sailor s court martial. I hid no intention thai night to murder it. James sterner naval investigative service agent Ronald Benefield read from the stale men that Petty officer 3.c. Mitchell Garraway whole shortly after Bis arrest last sum Mer aboard the frigate Miller. Benefiet i testimony ended the government s Case against Garraway 21, of Suitland my. Who i charged with premeditated murder. Sterner 35, of Woodbudge n.j., died from two slab wounds in the Back on june 16 in a passageway of the ship off Bermuda a Amway had pleaded guilty to simple murder bul the government rejected the plea instead court Marti Aling turn an uie capital charge of premeditated murder. If the tailor is convicted he could become the first person executed by the Navy since ib49. If the defense can establish that Garraway did nol in tend to kill sterner he would escape the death Penally. Benefield who headed Ibe investigation aboard the Miller said Garraway admitted killing sterner shortly after investigators told him on june 19 that he was their primary suspect in the slaying Benefield testified Hal when he asked Garraway if he Slabbed the officer Garraway said something iras than i killed it. Sterner " he said yeah us huh ok1 something to Hal effect Benefield said. The investigator said Garraway told him thai he had been weightlifting before the stabbing and went to his locker and put his 12-Inch combat knife into his coveralls before wandering around the  Benfield said Garraway told him he approached sterner in a passageway grabbed him around the Waist and Slabbed him once in the Back. The defendant said he then heard noises from nearby officers quarters dropped the knife and ran according to Benfield. Under Cross examination by Garraway s civilian lawyer Trevor Brooks Benefield conceded that his initial report of the investigation said Garraway did not go searching for sterner in order to Stab him. Cartier admits failing to collect sales tax new York a Cartier inc. Pleaded guilty tuesday to failing to collect slate sales lax by mailing Dummy package from its fifth Avenue store to Oul of state addresses and agreed to pay the slate s2.2 million. Cartier will pay si.22 million for unpaid Lifis. 1647,000 in interest and $336,000 in fines. Attorney Gen eral Robert a Tams said. It a the largest sum Ever paid in a. Tax Case in new York history he said. The company pleaded guilty let one count of falsifying Btu new records a felony. The store manager s. Howard Warnock 42, and assist a re Thornas j. Porter. 53, were indicted last Marion charges of scheming to avoid collecting City and. State sales lairs an millions of dollars of Over the counter purchases. The Case against them is pending. Abrams said store employees asked customers if they lived out of slate or had relatives who did then offered la Send an empty package to the add ecu so the customer could avoid paying the 8.25 percent sales tax. Abrams said the practice a used As a device to encourage More  for example a customer buying a $100,000 Diamond necklace would save $8,250 in sales lax. Because he scheme was fostered by Cartier Abrams said Consumers who benefited from it will not Bis pros carted. Frosty Mug a layer of ice and Snow caters Peter Wengryn i ski mask Rod bit after he finished dealing his drive Way monday in Brook Puk Ohio. The town received 8 Lochs of Snow sunday evening which forced in Gran out in the hitter weather with nil Snowblower. At least the Retiree said it we better Ihan shave Ling by hand