White House helped Contras after ban

Press, 11 October 1985, Page 11

White House helped Contras after ban

By

MIGUEL ACOCO

The White House continued to give Nicaraguan Contra rebels political guidance after last year’s congressional prohibition on “directly or indirectly” providing military aid to the United Statesbacked force, according to the National Security Affairs Adviser, Robert C. McFarlane. In a letter to the House Select Committee on Intelligence, which is investigating whether White House involvement with the Con-

tras violated the ban, McFarlane admitted an active campaign of political guidance to the rebels fighting to oust the Nicaraguan Government, but he denied that this constituted a violation. Some Congressmen and groups opposed to President Reagan’s Nicaraguan policy are questioning the close relationship between Con-

tra leaders and Marine Colonel Oliver North, who is on McFarlane’s staff, and North’s reported collaboration with a controversial retired Major General John Singlaub, who has raised millions of dollars for the rebel movement.

It has been widely reported that Colonel North counselled the Contras on military tractics, assisted the Contras in raising money from private and corporate resources, and made at least one trip to the main rebel base in Honduras to

reassure them of President Reagan’s unremitting support. Other allegations are that he was the most prominent White House official involved in helping the rebels during the period of the ban, which expired on September 30. “I can state with deep personal conviction that at no time did I or any member of the National Security Council staff violate the spirit of the law,” McFarlane’s letter said.

The law banning the C.1.A., the Defence Department, or any other entity of the Administration from spending money “for the purpose or which would have the effect of supporting, directly or indirectly, military or paramilitary operations in Nicaragua,” went into effect on October 1, 1984. Three Congressional committees are probing possible White House transgressions of the law. It is not clear whether they will also look into the activities of General Singlaub, who has told interviewers that he had co-ordinated with Colonel North his well publicised efforts to obtain money and supplies for the Contras. Singlaub is associated with the World AntiCommunist League. According to McFarlane, White House efforts for the Contras included the following: ® Urging punishment of rebels found guilty of atrocities; © Suggesting a halt in -military attacks last spring following a rebel offer for a dialogue with the Sandinistas. At the time the Congress was considering the President’s plan for resuming military aid for the Contras.

“Our emphasis on a political rather than a military solution to the situation was as close as we ever came to influencing the military aspect of their struggle,” his letter said. The letter also remarked that no National Security Council officials solicited “funds or other support for military or paramilitary activities either from Americans or third parties.” Copyright—London Observer