FBI PROBES CHARGES OF HELMS LEAK TO CHILEANS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000504130032-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 9, 2012
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: August 4, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/09 :CIA-RDP90-009658000504130032-7
LOS ANGELES TIMES
~. Qauc~'I 4 August 19 8 6
FBI Probes Ch
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Helms Leak to Chileans
Senator Denies Allegations Thstt He or an Aide
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Regime to U.S. Intelligence Operation
By DOYLE McMANUS, Times Staff Writer leading officials ~ to trace the leak Harry G. Barnes Jr., "is carrying
WASHINGTON-The FBI is in- back to the cnnservat;vP ~o.,,,,._ ...L _ r_
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Helms or one of his aides deliber- all of whom spoke on condition of
ately exposed a secret U.S. intelli- anonymity, said that senior officials
Bence operation directed against in both the State Department and
the rightlat mriltary government of the CIA were angered by the
Chile, Administration officials acid exposure of the covert operation.
S~~Y? "This was a very, very bad thing
The Senate Intelligence Com- to do," said a senior official in-
mittee asked the FBI to launch the volved in the issue.
probe after the State Department He said the evidence that Helms
and CIA presented evidence that or a member of his staff had
linked Helms to the Chileans' dis- exposed the operation was solid.
covery of the operation last month, "It is not third- or fourth-hand
the officials said. evidence," said an official directly
The intelligence operation, involved in the issue. "It's better
which officials refused to describe, than that."
was apparently aimed at gathering "Somebody clearly misused in-
secret information about the re- telligence information here," said
gime of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. another knowledgeable official. He
"The Chilear>e were furious" when added that some evidence suggests
they learned of it, one official said. that a Helms aide, rather than the
Sen. Helms (R-N.C.) denied the senator himself, may have been the
charges and accused Adminiatra- source of the leak.
lion officials of launching the in- Helms, as chairman of the Senate
vestigation for political purposes, Foreign Relations Committee's
"The State Department and the subcommittee on Western Hemi-
CIA are constantly trying to dis- sphere affairs, is frequently given
credit me, and they're not going to access to sensitive information on
be able to do it," he said in an Latin America, officials said.
interview with the New York The senator has tangled almost
Times, which first disclosed the constantly during the last five
investigation. "The real need is for years with the State Department,
the State Department and the CIA which he accuses of sabotaging
to clean up their acts. President Reagan's foreign poli -
"If they want to play the game of cies.
intimidation, of harassment and of Gun-shy State Department offi-
leaks, we'll meet them right in the cials refused to comment Sunday
middle of the field," the newspaper on the FBI probe, except for one
quoted Helms as saying. who carefully pointed out, "It's not
Christopher Manion, a Helms us who initiated thi
s investigation;
aide on the staff of the Senate it's the Senate Intelligence Com-
Foreign Relations Committee, said mittee."
he was unaware of the inquiry until In Chile last month, Helms
it was reported in the press. He said praised the Pinochet regime as one
he did not believe Helms could be of ,the most anti-Communist in
reached for further comment. Latin America, and he denounced
Helms, a fervent defender of the American ambassador there for
Pinochet's regime, was in Chile last attending the funeral of a young
month on a weeklong visit. He has man who witnesses said was set on
frequently criticized the State De- fire by uniformed men during an
partment for putting what he con- anti-government demonstration.
siders excessive pressure on Pin- "If President Reagan were here,
ochet to move toward democratic I believe he would send this ambas-
electiona. sador home," Helms said in an
One source said the Chileans told interview with Chile's state-run
the Administration that they television network.
learned of the intelligence opera- A White House spokesman re-
tion shortly after Helms' visit- sponded that the Ambassador,
wntcn is to encourage and support
movement toward democracy."
In 1984, Helms accused the U.S.
ambassador in El Salvador of vio-
lating Reagan's policies and of
secretly rigging a presidential elec-
tion to deny victory to that coun-
try's leading rightist political fig-
ure, Roberto d'Aubuisson.
When a rightist plot to assassi-
nate the ambassador was later
discovered, some State Department
officials charged that Helms had
unwittingly encouraged it: Helms
denied those charges and invited
D'Aubuisson to Washington to re-
but accusations that he had been
involved in the plot.
The investigation of Helms fol-
lows aspate of controversies over
unauthorized disclosures of intelli-
genceinformation.
Reagan's Cabinet has met sever-
al times to consider new penalties
against federal employees for re-
vealing classified information, and
the State and Defense departments
have fired several officials for
leaking information to the press.
CIA Director William J. Casey has
also warned that the Administra-
tion may prosecute news organiza-
tions if they publish or broadcast
previously secret information
about electronic intelligence-gath-
ering.
The Senate Intelligence Com-
mittee asked the FBI to investigate
the charges against Helms under a
Senate rule that prohibits members
and [heir aides from disclosing
classified information that they
obtain through official business.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/09 :CIA-RDP90-009658000504130032-7