ARGENTINE DEFECTOR TELLS OF MULTINATIONAL PLOTS FOR SANDINISTAS OUSTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000202010004-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 21, 2010
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: December 2, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/21: CIA-RDP90-00552R000202010004-4
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WASHINGTON POST
2 DECEMBER 1982
Argentine JJefe'tor TeI $7
Of Multinational )Plots
For Sandinistas' Ouster,
By Christopher. Dickey
Washington Post Foreign Service
MEXICO CITY, Dec. 1-A man
.saying he is a defector from Argen-
tine intelligence in Central America,
speaking on a videotape shown here,
has outlined in detail a complex sys-
tem of clandestine connections
among the Argentine military, the
Honduran high command and Ni-
caraguan exiles seeking to overthrow,
their country's leftist Sandinista gov-
ernment. ? i
Identifying himself as Hector
Frances, of Argentina's "Intelligence
Battalion 601," he names scores of
alleged contacts in Central America,
including one American he describes
as having ties to Sen. Jesse Helms
(R-N.C.). He also claims that the
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency is
funding these covert operations and
describes a plot to kill exiled Ni-
caraguan hero-turned-rebel Eden
Pastora and blame it on the Sandi-
nistas.
Those parts of the tape that could
be independently corroborated pro-
vide the first small but substantive
clues of what was until now the vir-
tually impenetrable Argentine con-
nection in Central America's secret
wars.
Other parts of Frances' 70-minute
statement echo standard Sandinista
charges about U.S.-orchestrated.-co-
vert and overt aggression against
Nicaragua. There are indications
-that Sandinista sympathizers, if not
'the government itself, were involved
in its distribution.
Independent sources in Central
America and the United States say
that an Argentine. named Hector
Frances, living. on a tourist visa in
Costa Rica and known to have close
ties with anti-Sandinista Nicaraguan
exiles, disappeared from San Jose in
an apparent kidnaping a little more
than a month ago.
According to official Costa Rican tabliie the an inistas, numerous':
sources, that country s ponce had accounts of such activity have been,
been following- his movements. An published over the past year.
official said Frances-was known fre- Last February, The, Washington
quently to be in possession of large'. Post reported that, the administra-
sums of money that police "sus- tion had authorized a broad program
pected he was receiving from his , of political, economic. and propagan-.
government" and that "with certain,,, da activities against the Cuban pres-
regularity, he traveled to Honduras.".! ence in Nicaragua and the alleged
Although several men struck ! Sandinista supply of. weapons to
Frances and his wife outside their guerrillas fighting ;_the U.S.-backed
house and threw Frances into.a wait- government in El Salvador.
ing van, the sources said, no one A further account,' published in
claimed responsibility for the deed March, said - that= Reagan , subse-
and the Argentine Embassy made no quently had authorized, in Decem-
representation on Frances' behalf to bet. L981, a $19 million program of
the Costa Rican government. .His indirect CIA covert operations
wife, they said, has left the country. . against Nicaragua, including the
Pastora, in a telephone interview buildup and funding of a 500-man
from his home in Costa Rica yester- ` Latin American paramilitary force to
day, confirmed knowing Frances, operate out of commando camps
whom he described as "from Argen- spread along the Nicaraguan-Hon-'
tine intelligence" and working in.- duran border.
Costa Rica with exiled Nicaraguan. Training for and operation of the
national. guardsmen fighting the program were to be done in conjunc-
Sandinistas. tion with "friendly" Latin American
A 'senior member of the Ni- governments.
caraguan Democratic Forces, _ the ?'Since then, although both govern-
principal anti-Sandinista exiles, also meets have refused to confirm that
acknowledged knowing him. such a program actually was put into
Nat Hamrick,* who is named. in operation, anti-Sandinista Ni-'
the tape as having "ties" with Helms caraguan exiles . operating out of
and "opening doors" in Washington Honduras have claimed a growing
for anti-Sandinista exile operations, string of successful cross-border and
was reached at his North-Carolina internal sabotage attacks against the.
home. Hamrick, who said he is "in Sandinista government.
the lumber business," acknowledged Beyond that somewhat'sketch`
"knowing and liking" Helms and said Y
he --had "business", meetings, with framework, and a steady stream of.
Frances and rightist Costa Ricans in little as au eport from-all sides,
'San-Jose. Haimrick denied any' po- :little.bas.been reported:
litical, involvement` with' anti-Sandi- Three weeks ago, -however, two
nista rebels..But, he added, "I sym-. Washington Post reporters received.
pathize with them and I empathize in .Washington copies of the same
with 'them and I hope they over- Frances -tape shown here yesterday
by the leftist Democratic Journalists'
throw the bastards."
Although the Reagan administra Union of Mexico.
tion. repeatedly has declined public The copies of the tape sent to the
comment on reports that it is en-' reporters came from a fictitious-sub
gaged, along with Nicaraguan exiles ' urban address -outside Washington.
and other Latin American . military The presentation yesterday took
forces. in a covert, camnaiun En riPS_ place at the Mexico City office of the
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/21: CIA-RDP90-00552R000202010004-4