U.S. Spies In Press Corps

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32210, 31 January 1970, Page 11

U.S. Spies In Press Corps

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) SAIGON, January 30. Four United States Government investigators were infiltrated into the Saigon press corps to spy on reporters, official sources have admitted.

Their credentials had been withdrawn and those who issued' them were disciplined, the sources said. But a statement issued in Washington indicated that all they suffered was a verbal admonition.

On Wednesday, officials said in answer to questions that two American investigators, William Tucker and Howard Hethcox, were issued credentials as working reporters on January 8. The credentials were withdrawn on Tuesday after someone identified them. , Yesterday, officials disclosed that two Vietnamese agents hired by the United States Government, Nguyen Van Vien and Nguyen Van Thien, also were issued press cards which have since been cancelled. . All four claimed to represent the American University Press, apparently, a nonexistent organisation. The Assistant Secretary of Defence, Mr Daniel Henkin, said in Washington he had been told, that those involved in the “inadvertent” accreditation of Hethcox and Tucker “have been admonished concerning the proper procedures

to be followed in accreditation.”

This left in the air what, if anything, was being done about those who planned the attempt to spy on the Saigon press corps. It was believed the object was to find anyone passing to reporters information which the military wanted kept from the public. Among the 422 accredited press, radio, television and magazine staff in Saigon are 333 Americans.