COVER-UP HINT ON SOUTHEAST ASIA PRISONER ISSUE MEETS SKEPTICISM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86M00886R002600060015-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 21, 2008
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: August 9, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2008/08/21: CIA-RDP86M00886R002600060015-5
MEMORANDUM FOR: D/PA
9-+
FROM: EA/DDCI
George,
This is an example of something John would have
liked to have had annotated. Hand scribbles saying on
the order of "Yes, these reports exist and he has them,"
or "this is *!?*?!" would be fine.
Thanks,
STAT
Date 10 August 1984
FORM 101 USE EMONSPREVOUS
Approved For Release 2008/08/21: CIA-RDP86M00886R002600060015-5
 Approved For Release 2008/08/21: CIA-RDP86M00886R002600060015-5
ARTICLE APPEARED WASHINCTON TIIIES
ON 'AGEAoL 9 August 1984
Cover-up hint on Southeast Asia
risoner issue meets skepticism
THE WASHINGTON TIW..ES
A-_conressional champion of Viet-
nam veterans chargesbefore skeptical
House colleagues ~_esterday that intelli-
ence officials knowin by abandoned
prisoners o war in Southeast Asia
and said he is "fearful" that a cover-up
is now under way.
"I am outraged to think that our gov-
ernment knew of these live Americans
up to and past the end of the conflict and
knowingly left them in captivity and did
nothing about it." Rep. Douglas
Applegate, D-Ohio, charged.
"I am fearful that our president may
not fully know what his intelligence
community knows about our POW
MIAs and that government agencies are
covering up past mistakes and withhold-
ing information for whatever reasons:'
he added.
Rep. Applegate, chairman of a House
Veterans Affairs subcommittee, testi-
fied during a hearing by a House For-
eign Affairs subcommittee on the
Reagan administration's renewed effort
to account for the missing GIs.
There are 2.483 Americans unac-
counted for in Southeast Asia - 1.826 in
Vietnam and the remainder in Laos.
Chairman Stephen J. Solarz. D-N.1'..
of the subcommittee on Pacific and
Asian Affairs, announced U.S. officials
on Aug. 15-18 will hold renewed
technical-level meetings on the prob-
lem. which Hanoi discontinued in
mid-1983.
Hanoi returned the remains of eight
Americans last July 17 and has agreed
to allow a U.S. team to excavate at a
crash site near Paske to search for
remains of American servicemen. Mr.
Solarz said.
Rep. Benjamin Gilman, D-N.Y., head
of the House Task Force on American
Prisoners and Missing in Southeast
Asia, s.a areview' of an earlier cover-up
charge from another source turned up
no evidence of such concealment.
It. Gen. James Williams, head of the
Defense Intelligence Agency, described
intensive interviews that are being con-
ducted in an effort to pin down informa-
tion in Southeast Asia and in dozens of
other countries that refugees reach.
"Since the communist takeover of
Indochina in 1975, we have acquired a
total of 2.62' reports from Indochinese
refugees concerning alleged sightings
of Americans:' Gen. Williams testified.
Many proved to be errors or deliberate
falsehoods, but 86 cases are being
actively investigated, he said.
"Despite our persistent efforts, we
have not yet been able to prove or dis-
prove that there are any Americans
being detained against their will:' Gen.
Williams said.
"