MEESE ASSAILS NICARAGUA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000404180003-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 6, 2010
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: September 15, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/06: CIA-RDP90-
ARTICLE AP EARED
ON PAGE a
WASHINGTON POST
15 September 1985
00552 R000404180003-3
STAT
Meese Assails Nicaragua
Nation Termed `a Terrorist Country Club'
United Press International
Attorney General Edwin Meese
III said yesterday that Nicaragua is
becoming a "country club" for ter-
rorists worldwide.
Meese said the Sandinista gov-
ernment has oftered refuge to
members of the Palestine Libera-
tion Organization, the Basque ETA,
the Irish Republican Army and
West Germany's Baader-Meinhoff
gang. He repeated charges by Italy
that Nicaragua is harboring Red
Brigade terrorists.
"The evidence further indicates
that Nicaragua is fast becoming a
terrorist country club, offering ref-
uge" to members of those terrorist
groups, Meese said.
In remarks prepared for delivery
to the International Association of
Jurists, Meese said, "The sad real-
ity is that terrorist groups in Africa,
in the Middle East, in Europe and in
Central America are in common
cause against Western society."
[In a statement, the Nicaraguan
Embassy denied Meese's charges.
["Outright falsehoods, distortions
and misrepresentations are no sub-
stitute for a serious policy," the
statement said. "If the U.S. has any
evidence of any aggressive act by
Nicaragua, the administratigw
should take it to the World Court.
["The fact that the U.S. is boy-
cotting the court is indisputable
proof that the U.S. has no evidence
to support the charges it is making
against Nicaragua. Whereas Nica-
ragua does have evidence to prove
that the U.S. administration is fi-
nancing and directing terrorism
against the Nicaraguan people
through its support for the Con-
tras."]
Meese's comments came a day
after the State Department charged
Nicaragua with engaging in "mas-
sive armed intervention" of its
neighboring states and using a case
against the United States in the
World Court as propoganda.
Nicaragua's complaint charges
the United States' support for the
contra rebels trying to overthrow
the Sandinista government repre-
'aettts-'state terrorism" and violates
international law.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/06: CIA-RDP90-00552R000404180003-3