Jack Anderson
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WQS hington merry-go-round Jack Anderson Ft 2/27/7[ LES WHITTEN WASHINGTON — Top CIA officials He emphasized, however, that he had are debating whether to bring legal never been debriefed by either the Soviet action against Philip Agee, whose book KGB or Cuban DGI intelligence. But on /about his life in the CIA has caused his own initiative, he told us, he had gone havoc. to insurgent leaders and had informed Agee listed everyone who had worked them of his CIA activities against them. with him in the CIA in Latin America. He "I am for the liberation movements," also added names provided, he said, by he said. "a small group of Mexican comrades One source showed us documentation, whom I trained to follow the comings which suggests but doesn't prove that and goings of CIA people before I left Agee is under Cuban discipline. A press Mexico City." release, which Agee issued in London on It has cost the CIA "several million Oct. 3,1974, appears to have been written dollars," according to inside sources, to by the Cubans. Our source showed us transfer the agents who had been language peculiarities, which indicate it fingered and to protect its operations in was translated from colloquial Cuban Latin America. Spanish. The CIA, however, couldn't protect all the local people whom Agee listed as CIA This is denied by Agee. "I wrote that," "collaborators." Among them were he declared, "right on my own many who had only routine dealings with typewriter in Cornwall (England)." But the CIA in such legitimate activities as he acknowledged that it had been drug control, antihijacking techniques duplicated for the press in the offices of a and antiterrorist operations. left-wing Latin American publication in A number of them have been harassed London. with threatening phone calls. One Our CIA sources also believe that Agee reported that his daughter's life had pulled his punches on Mexico's been threatened and the wall in front of President Luis Echeverria after his home had been defaced. receiving instructions from Havana. In Uruguay, a taxi driver whose name Here's what allegedly happened: aiSpiea red in Agee's book stopped at a On October 3, Agee denounced the traffic light. Another car pulled Mexican press for omitting his account alongside him and an assailant emptied of a "close relationship" that he claimed . a' pistol at the taxi. The driver existed between a CIA official and miraculously escaped injury. Echeverria. In Ecuador, an engineer on Agee's list "Mexican comrades have told me," appeared at the U.S. embassy to plead said Agee, "that the reference to for protection. Another man, with the Echeverria's relationship with (the CIA same last name as one of the alleged man) was probably omitted by official "collaborators," asked the CIA for a censorship order; in itself not uncommon letter attesting to the mistaken identity. there, in order to save embarrassment to CIA officials doubt whether they can the incumbent." Agee carefully added bring legal charges against Agee as long that Echeverria "may have broken with as he stays out of the country, say our the CIA when he became president." sources. Agee told us by transatlantic A subsequent Agee interview, linking telephone that he hopes to return home Echeverria with the CIA, was published but that he will wait until he gets the in, the December issue of the Colombian green light from his legal adviser. magazine, "Alternativa." Our sources He is represented by Melvin Wulf, an say Echeverria let out a howl that was American Civil Liberties Union heard all the way to Havana. attorney, who said he will withhold his Fidel Castro, eager to continue his advice until he talks to the Justice good relations with Echeverria, sent a. Department and learns its intentions. member of the Cuban politburo, CarlosA "The only action they could bring 'Rafael Rodriguez, on a secret, one-day against Agee," Wulf told us, "would be visit to Mexico City on December 18 to an espionage charge and that would be a placate the Mexican president, fruitless prosecution." according to our CIA sources. Indeed, this may be precisely what the Not long afterward, Agee got together CIA has in mind. Our own CIA sources with the interviewer, Gabriel Garcia say that Agee has been kept under Marquez, a left-wing, Nobel surveillance and that he has been Prize-winning writer, in Spain, say our spotted in the company of Cuban sources. Both men issued statements intelligence agents in both Paris and exonerating Echeverria. London. Agee denied to us that he received any . Agee doesn't deny this, "I have seen instructions from Havana to soften his them in Paris and London," he attack upon the Mexican president. acknowledged to us. "I go straight to the Cuban embassy. Whether they were But the question remains: Is Philip Cuban intelligence officers or not, I don't Agee an idealist who soured on the CIA realty care." and seeks only social change? Or is he a F14. added meaningfully: "I support the turncoat who defected' to .,1114„„„1 ';,ttilian revolution." Communists? The WashingtonItferiy.GaltOund THE. WASHINGTON POST Thursday, Feb. 27,1975 B7 CIA WeIghing Action Against Agee Jack Anderson him, and an assailant emptied a London," he acknowledged to tions 'from Havana. Here's what and Lea Whitten pistol at the taxi. The driver mi- us. "I go straight to the Cuban allegedly happened: raculously escaped injury: embassy. Whether they were Cu- Top CIA officials are debating • In Ecuador, an engineer on On Oct. 3, Agee denounced the ban intelligence officers or not, Mexican press for omitting hie whether to bring legal action Agee's list appeared at the U.S. I don't really care." against Philip Agee, whose embassy to plead for protection. account of a "close relatioe-; He added meaningfully: "I ship" that he claimed existed book about his life in the CIA Another man, with the same last support the Cuban has caused havoc. name as one of the alleged "col- between a CIA official and revolution." He emphasized, Echeverria. Agee listed everyone who had laborators," asked the CIA for a that he had never been de- worked with him in the CIA in letter attesting to the mistaken briefed by either the Soviet "Mexican comrades have told. Latin America. He also added identity. KGB or Cuban intelligence. But me," said Agee, "that the refer-. names provided, he said, by "a CIA officials doubt that they on his own initiative, he told us, ence to Echeverria's relation- . small group of Mexican com- can bring legal charges against he had gone to insurgent lead- ship with (the CIA man) was rades who !trained to follow the Agee as long as he stays out of ers and had informed .them of probably omitted . by official comings and goings of CIA peo- the country, our Sources say. his CIA activities against them. censorship order, in itself not ple before I left Mexico City." Agee told us by transatlantic "I am for the liberation move- uncommon there, in order to It has cost the CIA "several telephone that he hopes to re- ments," he said. save embarrassment to the in- _ million dollars," according to tura home but that he will wait One source showed us docu- cumbent." Agee carefully, inside sources, to transfer the until he gets the green light mentation, which suggests but added that Echeverria "may , agents who had been fingered from his legal adviser. doesn't provethat Agee is under have broken with the CIA when and to protect its operations in He is represented by Melvin Cuban discipline. A press re- he became president." Latin America. Wulf, an American Civil Liber- lease, which Agee issued in The CIA, however, couldn't ties Union attorney, who said he London on Oct. 3, 1974, appears A subsequent Agee interview, protect all the local people will withhold his advice until he to have been written by the Cu- linking Echeverria with the whom Agee listed as CIA "col- talks to the Justice Department bans. Our source showed us lan- CIA, was published in the Ae laborators." Among them were and learns their intentions. guage perculiarities, which in- camber issue of the Colombian many who had only routine "The only action they could dicate it was translated froth magazine "Alternative!' Our: dealings with the CIA in such le- bring against Agee," Wulf told colloquial Cuban Spanish. sources say Echeverria let out gitimate activities as drug con- us, "would be an espionage howl that was heard all the way trol, anti-hijacking techniques charge, and that would be a This is denied by Agee. "I to Havana. and anti-terrorist operations. wrote that," he declared, "right fruitless prosecution." Fidel Castro, eager to con- A number of them have been Indeed, this may be precisely on my own typewriter in Corn- tinue his good relations with harassed with threatening what the CIA has in mind. Our wall (England)." But he ac- phone calls. One reported that knowledged that it had been du- Echeverria, sent a member of own CIA sources say Agee has the Cuban politburo, Carlos his daughter's life had been been kept under surveillance plicated for the press in the of- threatened and the wall in front and that he has been spotted in fices of a left-v/81g Latin Ameri- Hefei Rodriguez, on a secret, of his home had been defaced. can publication in London. one-day visit to Mexico City on the company of Cuban intelli- Dec. 18 to placate the Mexican In Uruguay, a taxi driver gence agents in Paris and Lon- Our CIA sources also believe whose name appeared in Agee's president, according to our CIA don.