RELIGIOUS GROUPS OPPOSE FBI, CIA CLERGY CONTACTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00806R000200700022-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 21, 2010
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: February 23, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/21 : CIA-RDP90-00806R000200700022-8
~STAT
ARTICLE 1;?UARiD
ON PAGE
WASHITfGT014 STAR
23 FEBRUARY 1980
ins ''U
4
By John Novotney
? Specialto'rhe Washington Star
The American religious com-
munity is protesting Carter adminis.
tration proposed, charters which
would allow the Federal Bureau of.
Investigation and the-Central Intelli-
gence Agency to use clerics as
undercover agents or informants.
Legislation to create an FBI char-
ter specifically authorizes the Bu-
reau to solicit clergymen, journal-
ists, attorneys and physicians to act
as informers.
The National Intelligence Act of
1930, introduced earlier this month
in the Senate, does not prohibit
"voluntary contacts" or the "volun-
tary exchange of -information" by
..any person and any entity of the
intelligence community" with "any-
U.S. religious organization," among
others.
This bill would affect all U.S. agen-
cies involved in intelligence gather-
ing, including the Defense Intelli-
gence Agency and the National
Security Agency.
Current CIA guidelines prohibit
the paid or unpaid use of clerics as
informers or undercover agents, but
this can be waived at the discretion
of the CIA director.
Furthermore, the National Intelli-
gence Act of 1980 would permit the
president to waive the provision
prohibiting CIA agents from posing
as clerics, journalists, and so on,
"during any period in which the U.S.
is engaged in..a.war declared by an
act of Congress."
The executive committee of the
National Council of Churches, an
umbrella-group of 32 Protestant and -
Orthodox denominations, has op-
posed the recruitment, employment
or impersonation of -missionaries,,
members of the clergy or church
workers by members of intelligence
agencies.
Rev. Dean Kelley of the NCC said
ppose
ia s
"The churches have been especially
concerned about the misuse of their
clergy for law-enforcement purposes
by federal intelligence agencies."
But, he said,"In asking that the
churches and their employees be
placed'off limits' for the FBI as in-
formants,-we do not wish to imply or
suggest that they are otherwise 'out-
side the law' or relieved of the
general responsibility of all citizens
to uphold the laws and to assist in
the prevention of crime and the
apprehension of criminals . .
"All that is sought here," he said,
"is to rule out the use by the FBI, or
even the appearance of use, of the
church or church workers as instru-
ments of law enforcement."
Rev. John Adams of the United
Methodist Church's Board of Church
and Society, said "As a clergyman, I
want you to know that no violation
of an ordinance, no exploitation of a
pastoral relationship and no flexible
phrasing of any proposed legislation
can possibly justify or provide an
ethical basis for the intrusion of
intelligence forces upon the confi-
dences which are shared within the
spiritual context."
William Thompson, stated clerk of
the United Presbyterian Church in
the U.S.A., expressed "deepest con-
cern" regarding provisions of the
proposed charter allowing FBI
agents to solicit clerics as inform-
ants or undercover agents.
"The confidentiality of communi
cations with the clergy, whether in
the confessional or at the counseling
desk, must be maintained if the
minister, priest or rabbi is to be able
to perform the religious and spirit-
ual functions required by the com-
munity of faith of that person," he-
said.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/21 : CIA-RDP90-00806R000200700022-8