EL SALVADOR CLAIMS VICTORY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01070R000100650003-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 21, 2007
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 31, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2007/05/21: CIA-RDP88-01070R000100650003-1
RADIO TV REPORTS, INC.
4701 WILLARD AVENUE, CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND 20815 656-4068
PROGRAM CBS Morning News
DATE March 31, 1983 7:00 A.M.
SUBJECT El Salvador Claims Victory
STATION WDVM-TV
CBS Network
Washington, D.C.
DIANE SAWYER: El Salvador's rebels are claiming one of
their biggest victories so far this year. The rebel radio says
the insurgents ambushed two companies of the Bajoso (?) batal-
lion, which was trained at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The
rebels say they killed 84 soldiers, took over the town of San
Ysidro, 66 miles northeast of the capital.
The Salvadoran Government has not commented on that
victory claim, but it has released two American journalists who
were being held on suspicion of having contacted the rebels. One
of them, T.J. Western, is a free-lance reporter for the As-
sociated Press Radio Service, and he's joining us by phone now
from San Salvador.
Mr. Western, is Diane in New York. Can you hear me?
T.J. WESTERN: Yes. Good morning.
SAWYER: You spent four days in a Salvadoran jail. How
were you treated?
WESTERN: I was treated well. I was interrogated only
at reasonable hours and fed well.
SAWYER: We are told that they arrested you because they
suspected that you were operating with the guerrillas, or at
least with the guerrillas at that time. Was it the case?
WESTERN: Well, the charges that they have been in-
vestigating, and still are investigating, are charges of trans-
porting weapons to the leftist guerrillas here in El Salvador.
That was based on a phone conversation I had with a
OFFICES IN: WASHINGTON D.C. ? NEW YORK ? LOS ANGELES ? CHICAGO ? DETROIT ? AND OTHER PRINCIPAL CITIES
Approved For Release 2007/05/21: CIA-RDP88-01070R000100650003-1
 Approved For Release 2007/05/21: CIA-RDP88-0107OR000100650003-1
radio producer on Thursday.
SAWYER: So -- I'm not sure what you're saying. Is it
correct or not correct?
WESTERN: No. No, it's not correct. I had a radio
conversation about a report on the Salvadoran economy, and from
that I was arrested and investigated for these weapons charges.
I am still under investigation, though I am free to move
about the country and do my work as a journalist. I cannot leave
the country until the investigation is complete.
SAWYER: Thank you very much, Mr. Western, for joining
us from San Salvador this morning.
Approved For Release 2007/05/21: CIA-RDP88-0107OR000100650003-1