COLBY BACKS SANCTIONS IN CIA LEAKS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00561R000100080048-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 23, 2012
• Sequence Number: 48
• Publication Date: May 15, 1978
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP91-00561 R0001 00080048-1
Si
THE BALTIt%lORE SUN
ARTICLE AP?EARED 15 Hay 1978
ON PAGE A-4
Colby backs.:
sanctions in
CIA leaks .
Washington (AP)-William Colby
says he would like to see a law providing
punishment for Central Intelligence Agen-
cy employees and former employees who
reveal secrets.
The former director of the CIA said' he
would want only "a very limited law"
applying only to- agency employees who
take an oath of secrecy.
"Secondly," Mr. Colby added, "I would
require that the secret be screened by an
impartial judge to make sure it's a real se-
cret and not a coverup of some wrongdo-
ing.
Mr. Colby's remarks were made in an
interview on the CBS television. program
60 Minutes, broadcast yesterday. They
were prompted by allegations last week
on the same program by John Stockwell, a
former head of the CIA's Angola task
force, that "blundering stupidity" by the
agency paved the way for massive Cuban
and Soviet intervention in Angola.
Mr. Stockwell also accused Mr. Colby
of misleading CIA oversight committees
about the extent of CIA involvement in
Angola.
-"I stand by the fact that I deny that I
misled Congress when I described the bas-
ic thrust of our program in Angola," Mr.
Colby said, repeating a denial he made
eight days ago when asked to comment on
Mr. Stockweli's allegations. .
Mr. Stockwell appeared on the televi-
sion program on the eve of publication of
his book about the operation called "In
Search of Enemies."
Mr. Colby's appearance was on the eve
of publication of his book, "Honorable.
Men -My Life in the CIA." -
Mr. Stockwell said he broke his oath of
secrecy to the CIA because he learned of
activities by the CIA that went counter to
what he had been told when he joined the
agency. He said he felt this released him
from his oath.
"Well, that's great rationalization be=
cause I'm sure if Mr. Stockwell joined CIA
... he read enough spy stories and novels
and other accounts of the invisible govern-
ment and all the other books written in the
early '60's about CIA, that he knew rough-,
ly what kind of an organization he was .
joining," Mr. Colby said. -
"And if he says that suddenly it doesn't
turn out to be the Boy Scouts, I think be
was asking a little much. And he's not re-
Mr. Colby said Mr. Stockwell violated
his pledge by not submitting his book to
the agency for review before publication.
A previous book written about the CIA
by a former employee without prior clear.
ance, "Decent Interval" _by. Frank?Snepp,
has led to a civil .damages suit .filed'
against the author by the Justice Depart -
ment...
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/23: CIA-RDP91-00561 R0001 00080048-1