JOURNALISTS DAMAGE EFFORTS TO REBUILD CIA AND FBI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000707220021-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 18, 2011
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: November 28, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/01/18: CIA-RDP90-00552R000707220021-2
D HtJM.4N EVENTS
rT'~ ~~ iL:P"~AAKE
1_-~? ~- t 28 NOVEMBER 1981
ing what SPJ President
Journalists Damage Efforts
Least constitutionally is
To Rebuild CIA and FBI supported version d
Judiciary Committee-
An * organization of . sb-called "professional" secutors to prove th
journalists has launched a last-ditch effort to CounterSpy had a spec
defeat legislation supported by President Reagan pede" intelligence operations wnen tney narnea
that would protect the identities and the lives of names
our intelligence agents. That version, however, as Justice Department,
Members of the Society- of Professional Jour 'official Richard Willard points out, might enable
publications such as the CAM to evade the law by
realists (SPJ), which includes reporters for major . claiming that their real intention is just to stimulate
newspapers and network news programs, gathered public debate on intelligence issues.
in Washington two weeks ago and.made plans to
sabotage legislation that would take Philip Agee's An enforceable bill, according to intelligence ex-.!
Covert Action Information Bulletin (CAIB) and.' perts, must contain tougher language which
CounterSpy- out of - the business .'of- "naming - enables prosecutors to press a case when the editors
names" of U.S. intelligence operatives. of CAIB or CounterSpy had "reason to believe". f'
their disclosures would impede intelligence opera-
The new issue of CAIB has just hit the news-
stands, and its "naming names" column lists the tions. This is the language that is in the House vet
names and locations of about 70 alleged U.S. ins sion of the bill, thanks to an amendment offered by Rep. John Ashbrook (R.-Ohio), who has been de-
telligence agents around the world.- Such exposure'
pounced by the CAIB as "one of the most reac-
makes agents ineffective and vulnerable to terrorist tionary congressmen in the country." The "reason
attack_ - - ~ - ' - ? - . to believe" -Language was actually taken out of the
In 1975; an American diplomat in Greece, original bill introduced in the Senate by Sen. John
Richard Welch; was murdered in cold blood by ter- Chafee (R.-R.I.). The specific intent provision was
rorists after.-being named as a -CIA--agent by
CounlerSp}c: Irr 1980; -an" American diplomat in
Jamaica, Richard Kinsman, had his home raked by
gunfire after being named as a CIA agent by. aneditor of CAIB.
The agents' identities bill, as it is' called, has
already passed the House. But liberal senators such '
as Lowell -Weicker (R: Conn.) :and Howard
Metzenbauar (D.-Ohio) have bottled itup in the-!
Senate,--a tactic revealed in the current issue of
CAIB as a "strategy". designed; to-enable "pro-
gressive pup to-stop the legislation by seeking
"to educate legislators, the public,. -and especially
the press, tc,.-tjae.dangerous =nifl ons of the
The SPJ bas allowed -itself to be
"edumted" on this issue. Even though, the
Supreme Court has riled that Philip Agee's
disclosures of intelligence operations and per-
sonnel "are- cksrly -not protected by the
Constitution," the SPJ has bought the line
that any legislative attempt to outlaw
"naming names" is unconstitutional.
But it realizes that some version of the law will.-
pass. It is therefore lobbying the Senate into adopt-
.CON "JED
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/01/18: CIA-RDP90-00552R000707220021-2