S.A. fed U.S. intelligence

Press, 24 July 1986, Page 10

S.A. fed U.S. intelligence

NZPA-Reuter New York The United States and Britain have given South Africa information about the African National Congress “The New York Times” reports. The A.N.C. is the major group fighting to end white-minority domination in South Africa.

The “Times,” quoting unidentified serving and retired United States officials, said that “the information, including political intelligence, as well as specific warnings of attacks by the group, was given by the Reagan Administration at least into the mid-1980s”. The “Times” also said a senior Administration official had categorically denied that any intelligence on the A.N.C. was exchanged between South Africa and the United States.

The newspaper quoted its sources as saying South Africa had no satellite

intelligence and depended on the United States and Britain for information on African countries beyond the range of its interception equipment. Many of Mr Reagan’s national security staff members took office convinced the A.N.C. was dominated by pro-Soviet Communists, the “Times” said.

They believed “that providing South Africa with information on the group was in the American national interest”. In the 1970 s the Soviet Union, Cuba, Britain and the United States Central Intelligence Agency became embroiled in the Angolan civil war, it said. “Vast quantities of electronic equipment... were secretly shipped from Britain and West Germany to South Africa to enable the South Africans to build more listening sites,” the "Times” said.