‘Most important witness’ to testify today

Press, 16 July 1987, Page 10

‘Most important witness’ to testify today

NZPA-Reuter Washington The former National Security Adviser, John Poindexter, today begins crucial public testimony about the so-called “smoking gun” memo and what President Reagan knew in the Iran-contra affair. Admiral Poindexter, appearing before the Congressional joint panel investigating the affair, will be asked whether he told Mr Reagan about the shifting of Iran arms sale proceeds to the contra rebels in Nicaragua. Senate panel member, Warren Rudman, a New Hampshire Republican, has described Admiral Poindexter as “by far the single most important witness.” Mr Reagan has maintained he knew nothing of the diversion, which may have been illegal because it took place during the 1984-86 Congressional ban on United States military aid to the contras. Lieutenant - Colonel Oliver North, who yesterday ended six days of impassioned testimony that was televised gavel-to-gavel nationwide, set the stage for Admiral Poindexter’s appearance by contending that he sought approval for all his actions, including the diversion, from his bosses, primarily Admiral Poindexter.

Specifically, Colonel North said, based on his conversations with Admiral Poindexter, he believed Mr Reagan had

approved of the diversion. Colonel North, then a National Security Council aide, told of having drafted five memos which he sent “up the line” to the admiral seeking presidential approval Four of these memos are missing, apparently shredded as part of an attempted cover-up, and the fifth, dubbed the “smoking gun” by investigators, does not bear any written indication it was actually submitted to Mr Reagan by Admiral Poindexter. Admiral Poindexter gave the President daily national security briefings, and is considered by the committee to be the witness most likely to challenge Mr Reagan’s account of events. Admiral Poindexter became national security adviser in December 1985

and was allowed to resign on November 25, 1986, the .same day Colonel North was dismissed by Mr Reagan for his role in the diversion. Mr Reagan dodged questions about the testimony yesterday but promised, “You won’t be able to shut me up” once the Congressional hearings end, probably next month. He jokingly said he would “stand on the roof and yell as loud as I can” to give his reaction. Another one of Colonel North’s former bosses, the former National Security Adviser, Robert McFarlane, returned to the witness stand yesterday to dispute part of Colonel North’s testimony, especially the Marine’s repeated assertion he had always kept his superiors fully informed of his pro-contra activities. Mr McFarlane, National Security Adviser from 1983 to 1985, said Colonel North “did report to me from time to time on a few, but certainly not all” occasions. He also denied having ordered Colonel North to alter White House documents to cover up the possibly illegal activities in support of the contras. “This is incorrect,” said Mr McFarlane, who attempted suicide earlier this year apparently out of embarrassment at his role in the affair. “In fact, Ollie proposed the revision of (those) docu-

ments.” But he said the contradictions apparently stemmed from an honest difference of interpretation because “I don’t think Colonel North would ever make a deliberate misstatement or lie.”

Colonel North’s appearance ended on a stormy note with the chairman of the House panel, Lee Hamilton, an Indiana Democrat, saying his activities were part of a policy “driven by a series of lies” that catapulted Mr Reagan into his most serious crisis.

The Senate panel chairman, Daniel Inouye, a Democrat from Hawaii, blasted Colonel North as a liar who exalted the principle of letting “the ends justify the means.” Earlier yesterday, Colonel North said he had rejected a one million dollar bribe in January 1986, from Manucher Ghorbanifar, an Iranian middleman who was worried that the United States was backing out of secret dealings with Iran.

Colonel North marked the end of his congressional appearance with a salute to the audience he apparently was targeting from the start, the American people. Tired and drawn, he turned to the cameras as he left the ornate marble hearings room and, thanking the public for an outpouring of support, said simply: “I salute you.”