European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday. July 20, 1987 the stars and stripes papa 3 Webster denies Cia firings planned Washington api Cia director Webster denied saturday that he plans to fire any Agency officials Over inc Iran Centra affair but said he will hire a special counsel to help Deal with us aftermath a newspaper reported Webster s so alarm its. Appearing in the world Herald s sunday editions rebutted a Story i saturday s los Angeles times congressional and intelligence sources told inc times that the Cia s Deputy director for operations. Clair George and its chief of counter terrorism operations Duane clan idec. Will he dismissed or allowed 10 take Early retirement. Both men arc 30-year Cia veterans who worked with former National Security Council aide it. Col. Oliver North and the late Cia director William Casey who were involved heavily in he Iran Contra affair. I be made no decisions drawn no conclusions yet Webster told the world Herald which interviewed him Al a judicial conference in Colorado Springs Colo. There Are Many investigation going on right now. Including the Independent counsel the Cia s office Oflyn Spector general is conducting its own probe of the Agency s operations said Webster who took Over inc Cia s lop Job in late May following Casey s resignation. Casey died that month. A lot of people in Congress have pointed up things that Are he said. By there is not Complete enough record to take any action " Webster declined 10 say who i is appointing to serve As special counsel to help Deal with the Iran con Ira matter s after mail. In he meantime the Cia will continue to carry out already authorized Covert actions aggressively with no interruption despite the attention brought on by the Iran Centra congressional hearings. I Don t want anyone to be afraid to do what is expected of him because of fear of Public attack said Webster who added that closer scrutiny will be Given to future Covert act \ i tics. Meanwhile two members of the House intelligence Rommi Ltee said saturday that a Cia shake up would be expected even if the Agency had t been Lam cd by the Iran Contra affair. This is committee chairman Louis Stokes a Ohio said on Cable news network s news maker saturday program. A a director William Webster flu photo coming into an Agency thai has had some prob lems some involvement with this particular situation it would be expected whether there were problems or not that he would make certain moves in order to have i own people in place at the lop of the Agency Stokes said. Stoke and rep. Henry Hyde r-lll., said they Hadnot been told about an impending shake up. But they said it is Webster s prerogative to move in his own people. A new director Means a new team people Hes comfortable with people that he trusts and relics on Hyde said on the can program. I Don t think if s any reflection on the people being the times also had reported saturday that Alan Fiers Chico Floc Cia s Central american task Force also May lose his Job. The report said the hous Cclean ing is supported by Senate intelligence committee chairman David Boren. A okla. Members of inc House and Senate panels investigating the Sale of arms to Iran the diversion of proceeds to help Nicaragua s Contra rebels and North s private con Ira Aid network have criticized the Cia for failing to cooperate with their inquiry. Sen. Warren Rudman r-n.h., said Friday the Agency had tried to Stonewall the congressional panels and added thai some Cia personnel might be investigated for perjury. The a a suspended at least two lower rank ing Field officers one stationed in Honduras and another in Cosla Rica for aiding inc contras in Defiance of a congressional ban. A Cia spokeswoman Kathy Pherson said no Agency officers have been dismissed because of their activities relating to inc Iran Contra affair. She declined comment on specific cases. One source told the times that Webster intended to dismiss George and Clarridge but another said they probably would be allowed to take Early retirement. Last year George told both the House and Senate intelligence committees that As far As he knew the Agency was not connected directly or indirectly to North s secret Contra Supply operation unidentified sources told he newspaper. Other Cia officials have said thai George 56, knew of the Effort and at least tacitly approved it inc sources said. Claudge 55, was chief of Cia operations in Europe in 1985 when the Agency helped North move a secret shipment of Hawk anti aircraft missiles to Iran in an attempt 10 win Freedom for american to slags in Leb anon the Cia is prohibited from undertaking Covert operations without a written order from the president. President Reagan did not Issue such an order known As a finding until after inc operation. In sworn testimony to congressional investigators earlier this year. Clamp be claimed that he believed the shipment contained Oil drilling parts not missiles. Other Cia officials told Congress thai Clarridge did know and North s notes of conversations with car Ridge appear to confirm their accounts. Inc Sinaci dig Muir Fluvial r senators closely monitored Casey s death of t .1. It i to i pm to the an rvs cur Orv and was Una Washington up suspicious members of iwo Senate committees kept close tabs on dying former Cia chief William Casey monitoring medical re ports and the results of an autopsy to confirm that he died of natural causes . News & world report said sat urday. After Casey s death May 6, according to one of iwo highly placed congressional sources quoted by the Magazine unidentified Senate intelligence com Mittee members obtained autopsy information because they were wary of pos sible deception and wanted to be certain the nation s lop spy was actually dying of natural causes. . News said the information of try,._ Casey 74, died of cancer. Reports at the Lime said he died of pneumonia and can cer in a Glen Cove n.y., Hospital. Sen. David Boren d-okla., chairman of the intelligence committee told the Magazine he did Noi pursue medical in formation or autopsy results on Casey but he said he did not know if individual senators May have done so. During his Public career Casey repeatedly provoked congressional doubts. As candidate Ronald Reagan s 1980 Campaign manager he was accused of providing the Reagan Campaign with de Bate briefing papers purloined from then president Carter. In april 1984, the portly bespectacled Cia chief formally apologized to the Senate intelligence cd Omillee for failing to provide adequate information on the Agency s role in the secret mining of nicaraguan harbours. The spy chief again became a Center of controversy because of his role in Chr Clandestine . Sale of arms to Iran and allegations that he knew some of the profits were being diverted to Nicara Guan rebels Casey testified before three congressional committees investigating the Iran Contra scandal and was scheduled for additional appearances when he suffered a pair of minor seizures dec. 15, 1986, Al his Cia office in Langley a. Three Days later he underwent brain cancer surgery hospitalize until mid february. He resumed to the Hospi Tal for More treatment in mid March but he never resumed to Capitol Hill to testify on the scandal. Casey was a quiet Man whose mum bling confounded his associates and Crit s a tremendous advantage to Casey to have people underestimate him an associate said. They hear him mumble and ask How Bright can this Man be the next thing they know Casey s eating their lunch Casey once said i be been confirmed by the Senate five limes. Every now an then somebody tries to get something on me and nobody s Ever Central american activist says she was kidnapped los Angeles a a Central american human rights activist said saturday she was kidnapped just hours after the Fri confirmed it was investigating an earlier abduction by what refugees claim arc salvadoran slyly death squads. Ana Maria Lopez 31, old police that a masked gunman forced her into a car about 8 15 . Friday Al a bus Stop nor the Hollywood freeway said it. Dan Cooke a police spokesman. The guatemalan woman said she we released about i . In Pomona 30 mile Easl of los Angeles after bin interrogated Cooke said. On Friday the Fri announced with out elaboration that it was opening an investigation because of previous Inci dents including july 7 abduction and rape of a salvadoran woman who said she was interrogated Aboul her political lies. The Fri referred inquiries saturday to the police. We Don t know whether there is any link but we re treating it As if it is All one organization Cooke said. The Case was being handled by various do be civics and the department s anti terrorist unit he said. According to an account Given Al a press conference by the woman s attorney Lopez was kidnapped in route to a meeting of he guatemalan cultural Center Al the first unitarian Church. The group opposes perceived human right violations by the guatemalan military. The gunman and an armed Driver had salvadoran accents and Wurch Plas tic masks Woolen Caps and leather gloves said the attorney Linten Joa Quin. They slated that they knew she supported salvadoran organizations by going to their events and they Lold ice to Slop or risk further attack the attorney said in a prepared statement. They stated that just As people Are killed in Central America they can be killed Here the statement said. During a freeway drive of several hours Lopez was questioned Aboul specific salvadoran and guatemalan refugees and two . Citizens who work with refugees. The car finally stopped at a Public Telephone in Pomona where she was tollo Call the unitarian Church and order everyone Sci pm for one woman they named. To leave the building. The Rev. Philip Zwerling of the first unitarian Church said police were called to the Church but nothing happened. Zwerling said the incident seemed to be part of a terror Campaign aimed Al stopping refugees opposition to Salva Doran and guatemalan policies. This is the second kidnapping in 10 Days he said. The first was a woman from my congregation and the second was on the Way to my the Fri s statement Friday came after a news conference Al our lady Queen of Angels Church where the Rev. Luis Olivares displayed a idler that inc Church had received con Laining markings he said Are used by the salvadoran squads to target Vic Tims. Mercedes Salgado who said she was among 19 people on a death list sent to another refugee earlier in the week said the attacks have alarmed some of the estimated salvadoran and 70.000 guatemalan refugees in the los Angeles area
