SENATOR WILLIAM COHEN OF MAINE WEDNESDAY SAID THAT FBI INTERNAL REFORMS AND DISCIPLINARY MEASURES MADE FOLLOWING DISCLOSURE OF ALLEGED WIDESPREAD ILLEGAL SURVEILLANCE WOULD OFFER A STRONG SAFEGUARD FOR AMERICANS' CIVIL LIBERTIES.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90M00005R000900130011-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 19, 2012
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: September 14, 1988
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/09/20: CIA-RDP90M00005R000900130011-2
Of : ce of Current Production and Analytic Support
CIA Operations Center
News Bulletin
T28971
NYTuw
0331
-STATES-
Wed Sep 14 21:09:48 1988
Wed Sep 14 18:18:14 1988
By Susan Hansen
States News Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 -- Senator William Cohe
said that FBI internal reforms and disciplinar
following disclosure of alleged widespread it
would offer a strong safeguard for Americans'
The senator commented after a Senate hear
FBI Director William Sessions announced the two-week suspension of
three agents who were part of the 27-month investigation of dozens
of U.S. peace groups. Three other agents were formally censured.
Sessions also announced several reforms Intended to tighten control
and monitoring of FBI Investigations.
Cohen is vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence that has been investigating the FBI's 1983-1985 probe
of groups opposed to U.S. policy in Central America.
Although Cohen praised the agency's handling of the case, he
urged that the names of all persons unfairly investigated during
the 27-month probe be purged from FBI records.
''It strikes me as being somewhat ironic that those who
accumulate points for violating traffic laws can have their names
wiped off the records all together, while here we're talking about
someone's name going Into the FBI files for doing nothing more than
exercising his constitutionally protected freedom,'' he said.
Sessions did not specifically pledge to delete the names, but
promised to review the request and report back to the committee.
The Intelligence Committee took up the matter last winter after
the Center for Constitutional Rights, a civil liberties group,
released documents detailing widespread surveillance of the
Committee In Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES) and
other U.S. groups opposed to U.S.policy in Central America. The
documents showed that FBI agents -- by spying, attending meetings
undercover and checking public records -- had collected information
on dozens of groups and hundreds of Individuals.
Sen. Cohen said the FBI's probe had gone on " too long and far
exceeded its legitimate scope.''
''Once under way, the investigation lost its focus,'' he said,
''broadening unnecessarily like an ink drop on a blotter, expanding
in concentric circles and sweeping in a variety of Innocent people
who were simply exercising their constitutionally protected
.freedoms. '' FBI Director Sessions testified that the investigation
was not politically motivated, but rather it reflected poor
judgment and inadequate supervision. He specifically faulted the
agency's failure to conduct a thorough check of allegations by
Frank Varelli, the FBI source who first charged that CISPES was
offering support to left wing terrorist groups in El Salvador.
The agency, during its investigation, produced no evidence
linking CISPES or any other groups under surveillance to
Page 1
5SI
CjSfES
of Maine Wednesday
measures made
gal surveillance
civil liberties.
ng Wednesday at which
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 % Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/09/20: CIA-RDP90M00005R000900130011-2
)ffke of Current Production and Analytic Support
IA Operations Center
Jews Bulletin
T28971
Wed Sep 14 21:09:48 1988 Page 2
investigations were serious
''The mistakes In judgement that took place during the CISPES
strongly my
mistakes in
am imposing
vigor.''
-30-
firm conviction
the work of the
are intended to
ones and I cannot emphasize too
that there is no place for such
FBI,'' said Sessions. ''The sanctions I
convey that conviction with clarity and
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/09/20: CIA-RDP90M00005R000900130011-2