CIA'S NO. 2 MAN SAYS RUSSIA SUPPORTS TERRORISM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000301220025-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 21, 2013
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: November 26, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/05/21 : CIA-RDP99-01448R000301220025-4
26 November 1986
Rif ONO
CIA's No. 2 Man Says Russia Supports
Terrorism
By Marc Sandalow
The deputy director Of the
CIA said last night that the So-
viet Union is using internation-
al terrorism as a weapon in an
undeclared war against West-
ern influence and democratic
values.
Speaking before the Common-
wealth Club in San Francisco, CIA
Deputy. Director Robert M. Gates
said that as defenders of human
rights "we cannot close our eyes to
the ... pervasively destructive role
of the Soviet Union and its clients."
"Let there be no mistake or am-
biguity about it: the Soviet Union
supports terrorism," Gates said.
"Nearly every terrorist group
.in the Middle East. and many others
else here. has.l inks to the U.S.S.R.
or one of its clients." .
Gates. the second-highest offi-
cial- in the CIA, declined to com-
ment on yesterday's disclosure that
up to $30 million in Iranian arms
payments to the United States was
diverted to the U.S.-backed rebels in
Nicaragua, but he defended the
Reagan administration's attempts
to establish ties with moderate
forces in Iran.
"I think it is a fact that there
were -- and are ? serious factional
struggles in Iran, and I think that
the strategic initiative of the admin-
istration made sense and (its goals/
were potentially attainable." he
said.
Noting that the Russians have
tried .to increase their own influ-
ence in Iran, Gates said said the
opportunity to begin discussions
with certain factions in Iran "was
an opportunity that in my view the
. United States should not have fore-
gone."
Through the use of terrorism
and military aid, Gates said the Rus-
sians have "incited violenee and dis-
order and sponsored subversion of
neutral or pro-Western govern-
ments" in many countries, includ-
ing El Salvador, Honduras, South
Korea and Grenada.
Earlier in the day, in a speech
before the World Affairs Council of
Northern California. Gates said the
Soviet Union has spent nearly
$150 billion on strategic defense
during the past 10 years, almost 15
times what the United States has
spent.
Gates offered his remarks as an
argument for continued research
and development of the Strategic
Defense Initiative system proposed
by President Reagan.
anri Annroved For Release 2013/05/21 : CIA-RDP99-01448R000301220025-4