AIDE TO HELMS IS FOCUS OF INQUIRY ON A DISCLOSURE OF DATA TO CHILE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 9, 2010
• Sequence Number: 38
• Publication Date: August 6, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

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 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/09: CIA-RDP90B01390R000100080038-0
,THE NEW YORK TIMES, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST.6, 1986
Aide to Helms Is Focus of Inquiry
On a Disclosure of Data to Chile
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (AP) - The
Justice Department investigation of a
reported unauthorized disclosure of se-
cret information to the Chilean Govern-
ment is focusing on an aide to Senator
Jesse Helms, Reagan Administration
officials said today.
The State Department and the Cen-
tral Intelligence Agency say they have
evidence that Christopher Manion,
brother of a newly confirmed Federal
appeals judge, Daniel Manion, dis-
closed information received in a classi-
fied briefing, according to the officials,
who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The reported disclosure involved the
United States' ability to monitor inter-
nal communications of the Chilean
armed forces, through which officials
had apparently learned details of the
July 6 burning death of a Chilean-born
United States resident at an anti-Gov-
ernment demonstration.
Mr. Manion was hired as a staff
member on the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee on Mr. Helms's
,recommendation and works for the
.Senator on the panel's Subcommittee
'on Western Hemisphere Affairs. Mr.
Helms is chairman of the subcommit-
tee.
[ABC news reported that Mr. Man-
ion denied being the source of.the in-
formation.]
Bob Dole, the Kansas Republican
who is the Senate majority leader, said
today that Senator Helms had assured
him "he had no information, no knowl-
edge" about the matter.
Mr. Helms, a Republican from North
jCarolina, has been angered by allega-
tions that he and his staff passed along
information to the Chilean Govern-
ment. He said Monday that the accusa-
tions were made by Elliott Abrams,
Assistant Secretary. of State for Latin
American Affairs. "They don't like the
,fact that I am opposed to their little
agenda down there, which is to sell out
the friends of the United States and
cozy up to the adversaries of the United
:States," Mr. Helms said.
A State Department spokesman,
Charles Redman, denied Mr. Helms's
charge, saying, "Elliott committed no
falsehood."
Two other officials, who asked not to
be identified, said the committee
learned of the purported violation not
from Mr. Abrams but from the C.I.A.
A senior State Department official,
also speaking on condition of anonymi-
ty, described the disclosure as serious,
but refused to comment on the nature
of the information.
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Helms calls leak charges
against aide `ridiculous'
By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Sen. Jesse Helms yesterday said
charges that one of his aides leaked
classified intelligence information
to the government of Chile, were "ri-
diculous:'
Mr. Helms said he met with
Christopher Manion, an aide on the
Foreign Relations Committee, to dis-
cuss allegations that Mr. Manion was
the subject of an FBI leak investiga-
tion.
"All I wanted to know, and I told
him to look me in the eye, I said,'Did
you in any way pass along anything,
to anybody in Chile, or anyone con-
nected with Chile?"' Mr. Helms said.
"He said, 'No sir.'
"Chris has never shaded the truth
with me once:' said Mr. Helms,
North Carolina Republican. "He
says it's ridiculous, which it is:'
Mr. Manion could not be reached
for comment.
Administration sources said the
investigation involves the disclosure
of a U.S. intelligence-gathering op-
eration in Chile.
One official called the compro-
mise a "serious" disclosure of intel-
ligence methods that revealed U.S.
electronic evesdropping on Chile's
military forces.
"I gave Chris only one instruction
[Monday] night and I didn't need to
do that:' Mr. Helms told reporters.
"And that was, tell the truth and don't
shade it:'
The North Carolina 'Republican
repeated allegations that the leak
stories were part of a CIA and State
Department smear campaign.
"They figured they might get to'
N456',)+ hvie s 614tc VG
me through Chris Manion," Mr.
Helms said. "The whole establish-
ment, they wake up salivating, 'How
can we get at of Helms today.' "
He said the CIA and State Depart-
ment are "mad about my challeng-
ing them on their agenda:'
As chairman of the Foreign Af-
fairs subcommittee on Western
Hemsiphere affairs, Mr. Helms has
been an outspoken critic of State De-
partment policies and has blocked or
slowed a number of ambassadorial
nominations.
Mr. Helms earlier accused Assis-
tant Secretary of State Elliot Ab-
rams, one of the few senior State
Department officials regarded as a
political hardliner, of providing false
information about the Chilean leak
to the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence.
The committee asked the Justice
Department to investigate the alle-
gations.
Mr. Abrams has denied he was the
source of the allegations against Mi,
Helms and his committee.
Manion looked .him in the eye, deniee secrets
Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C.,
said Tuesday his aide Christo-
pher Manion looked him In,
eye and denied passing",
secrets to Chile.
That was proof : enough:
"Chris has never shaded the
truth with me once."
But the Justice Depart-
ment wants to know if Man-
Ion leaked how the U.S. moni-
tors Chilean army communi-
cations.
It was through such moni-
toring that officials here
learned of the July 6 fatal
Chilean-born, Washington
D.C.,` resident during an
anti-government protest,
investigation no more than a
State Departmentattemptto
Helms has angered the:ad
ministration by befriending a
succession of right" wing"`for
eign leaders, including Chi-
can President AugustoPino-
Chet; and using his influent-a-'
Foreign Relations Committee
post to hold up nominations.
"They figured they ::might
get to me through Chris Man-
ion," he said. "The whole. es-
tabllshment, they. wake up
salivating, 'How can we get at
forr,cornment But his brother
Daniel Manion who nar-
roWly wan: Senate approval
peals".court seat ,:- said,
wail be known that my broth-
e;didn't do anything."
Pinochet In July; an aide has
said? details of the meeting
never were discussed with
Manion;
.,The Justice, Department
UPI
MANION Not with Helms on
July trip to Chile
refused comment, but news
reports Monday, citing ad-
ministration sources, said
Manion was at a confidential
Senate.briefing at which the
information was discussed.
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