1981 CIA COVERT ACTION PLAN REPORTED SCRUBBED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000100530008-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 22, 2010
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: February 26, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Y
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/22 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000100530008-6
A SSOCIA TED PRESS
26 FEBRUARY 1983
1981 CIA Covert Action Plan Reported Scrubbed
WASHINGTON
The CIA considered plans to destabilize the leftist government of the tiny
Caribbean island of Grenada but was dissauded from launching them by the Senate
Intelligence Committee, The Washington Post said in Sunday editions.
An unidentified committee member was quoted as saying that the description of
the 1981 plan should be "economic destabilization affecting the political
viability of the government."
Details of the plan could not be learned, the newspaper said.
CIA spokesman Dale Peterson said Saturday night, "We'll stick with our
regular response on that one - no comment." There was no answer at the Grenadan
Embassy.
Grenada has aroused concern among U.S. officials ever since the prime
minister, Maurice Bishop, took power in a coup in 1979 and aligned his
government with Cuba.
Cuba has been helping Grenada build a large airport, which U.S. officials on
many occasions have pointed to as a possible base for the Cuban Air Force.
Grenada has said the project is an.attempt to lure more tourists to the
133-square mile island of about 107,000 people.
Covert operations against Grenada were discussed in the Carter administration
but Carter ruled out everything but propaganda, the newspaper said.
The Senate committee, according to the newspaper's account, opposed the 1981
Grenada plan in July of that year, six months after President Reagan took
office, because of "what were perceived as unusual and unspecified components."
"You've got to be kidding," sources quoted Sen. ,4Beft D-Texas, as
saying after the CIA presentation.
A group of expatriate Grenadans was said to have been seeking support in
Washington a year ago for action against Bishop's government, according to an
unidentified official quoted by the newspaper.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/22 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000100530008-6