Jack Anderson /roe.v.4 12 ad /2 f CIA Retreating Into Its Shell The ballyhooed and battered Central "We are not going to make the CIA be up shop in a tiny hotel room in Wash- Intelligence Agency, which has re- exposed any more than they have ington and proceeded to lambast the ceived more publicity than govern- been," snorted Lewis. colonels and their American apologists ment agencies that advertise, is quietly In point of fact, the government did at every opportunity. Pro-junta offi- pulling back into its shell. not accuse Snepp of revealing classi- cials in the Nixon administration The traffic in embarrassing secrets, fied information. He charged in his hated him so that they connived to known inside the agency as "the fam- book that the CIA had left behind in send him back to Greece to face cer- ily jewels," is being shut off. Even Vietnam not only computerized files tain torture and possible death. members of Congress, who are sup- of agents and collaborators but also Apparently, his persistent criticism posed to review CIA secrets, have com- many of the unfortunate collaborators also incurred the wrath of the CIA. plained privately that the intelligence themselves. The files were captured in- Twice last year, unfavorable allega- agencies are holding hack. tact by the North Vietnamese. tions about him appeared in print. In Senate Minority Leader Howard H. Thus it was Snepp accusing the CIA both instances, the charges were attri- Baker Jr. (R-Tenn.) complained voci- of violating security and jeopardizing buted to CIA records. ferously at a closed White House meet- lives, not the other way around. Yet Demetracopoulos told us: "These al- ing that it had taken him two years to Lewis ruled, in effect, that the CIA had legations are fabrications used for a get some sensitive information out of the right to conceal its carelessness. long time by the CIA to discredit me, the CIA. Grumped another insider: Meanwhile, CIA defector Philip and they are refuted by CIA docu- "The CIA is never easy to work with, Agee, working with known communist ments in my possession." He showed us the FBI is interested in covering their agents, has appealed to disgruntled the documents to back up his state- butts and the NSA [National Security CIA employes to send him "leads, tips, ment. Agency! is incredibly tight-lipped as a suggestions." He wrote in a widely cir- culated bulletin: "We are particularly Several months ago, the Senate and matter of general principle." House Intelligence committees sought But other members of the Senate anxious to receive, anonymously if you desire, copies of U.S. diplomatic lists to determine whether the CIA had en- and House Intelligence committees gaged in a deliberate attempt to smear told us the intelligence agencies are and U.S. embassy staff and/or tel- Demetracopoulos. Aspin put the issue "cooperative," "frank" and "forthcom- ephone directories from any coun- tries." Agee has already laid out the bi- directly to the CIA director. It raised ing." questions, said Aspin, ''about the use of There is no question, however, that ographies of 700 U.S. undercover files . to discredit people." the CIA is quietly turning off the em- agents in a book published by Lyle barrassing leaks. Government lawyers Stuart Inc. Turner replied carefully: "I find no deliberately filed their lawsuit against CIA Director Stansfield Turner told evidence we have provided files on ex-CIA analyst Frank Snepp in Vir- us that Agee's publications have been Demetracopoulos to anybody." ginia, for example, knowing the judges "very damaging." A few weeks ago, the agency also re- were pro-government and security- Clearly, the CIA is trying to stop the sponded to specific questions from minded. damaging flow of unfavorable public- Aspin. Again, the CIA denied having District Judge Oren Lewis slapped ity. It is less than enthusiastic, for ex- shared its Demetracopoulos file with down Snepp for writing an unauthor- ample, about an investigation by Rep. anyone. But the denial astonishingly ized book about the CIA. At times, the Les Aspin (D-Wis.) into an alleged CIA was classified. judge's voice rose angrily as he de- attempt to discredit a Greek journalist. Because the letter was classified, clared that Snepp had no right to di- He is Elias Demetracopoulos. who Demetracopoulos cannot see it and, vulge "classified information" and was driven from his homeland in 1967 therefore, cannot defend himself that he was not entitled to a jury trial. by the military junta in Athens. He set against the CIA's charges. ■■■ Jack Anderson's Washington Merry-go-round e.30,1-71 Secrecy policy of CIA thickens WASHINGTON — The ballyhooed and In point of fact, the government did Clearly, the CIA is trying to stop the battered Central Intelligence Agency, not accuse Snepp of revealing classified damaging flow of unfavorable publicity. which has received more publicity than information. He charged in his book that It is less than enthusiastic, for example, government agencies that advertise, is the CIA had left behind in Vietnam not about an investigation by Rep. Les quiet)), pulling back into its turtle shell. only computerized files of agents and Aspin, D-Wis„ into an alleged CIA at- The traffic in embarrassing secrets, collaborators but many of the un- tempts to discredit a greek journalist. known inside the agency as the "family fortunate collaborators themselves. The He is Elias Demetracopoulos, who jewels," is being shut off. Even files were captured intact by the North was driven from his homeland in 1967 by members of Congress, who are suppos- Vietnamese. the military junta in Athens. He set up ed to review CIA secrets, have com- Thus it was Snepp accusing the CIA of shop in a tiny hotel room u' Washington plained privately that the intelligence violating security and jeopardizing and proceeded to lambaste the colonels agencies are holding back on them. lives, not the other way around. Yet and their American apologists at every Senate Republican leader Howard Judge Lewis ruled, in effect, that the opportunity. Pro-junta officials to the Baker complained vociferously at a CIA had the right to conceal its Nixon administration so hated him that closed White House meeting that it had carelessness. they actually connived to send him back taken him two years to get some sen- Meanwhile, CIA director Philip Agee, to Greece to face certain torture and sitive information out of the CIA. working with known communist agents, possible death. Grumped another insider: "The CIA is has appealed to disgruntled CIA Apparently, his persistent criticism never easy to work with, the FBI is in- employees to send him "leads, tips, sug- also incurred the wrath of the CIA. terested In covering their butts and the gestions." He wrote in a widely cir- Twice last year, unfavorable allegations NSA (National Security Agency) Is in- culated bulletin: "We are particularly about him appeared in print. In both In- credibly tight-lipped as a matter of anxious to receive, anonymously if you stances, the charges were attributed to general principle." desire, copies of U.S. diplomatic lists CIA records. But other members of the Senate and and U.S. embassy staff and-or telephone In a book called "The Power Ped- House intelligence committees told us directories from any countries." Agee dlers," authors Russell Warren Howe the intelligence agencies are has already laid out the biographies of and Sarah Hays Trott quoted directly "cooperative," "frank". and "forthcom- 700 U.S. undercover agents in a book from what they said was ing." published by Lyle Stuart, Inc. Demetracopoulos' "CIA file." This con- There is no question, however, that CIA chief Stansfleld Turner told us tended that Demetracopoulos had false- the CIA is quietly turning off the embar- that Agee's publications have been ly claimed two years ago to be an under- rassing leaks. Government lawyers "very damaging." Turner said that a cover agent for the United States. deliberately filed their lawsuit against CIA agent who has served his country Last December, New York Times ex-CIA analyst Frank Snepp in Virginia, anonymously, "suddenly is made public reporter David Binder wrote a lengthy for example, knowing the judges were by somebody like Agee and his article containing similar allegations pro-government and security-minded. usefullness, his career, his prospects, and quoting CIA officials. "CIA records District Judge Oren Lewis slapped are greatly reduced from then on show," reported Binder, "that in 1951 down Snepp for writing an unauthorised through no fault of his atter he has spent Mr. Dimitracopoulos (sic) offered his book about the CIA. At times, the many years of deprivation and services to the agency and was turned judge's voice rose angrily as he sacrifice." down." declared that Snepp had no right to As for CIA whistleblowers like Snepp, Demetracopoulos told us: "These divulge "classified information" and the CIA chief said: "They will have a tot allegations are fabrications used for a that he was not entitled to a jury trial. more respect from me if they go through long time by the CIA to discredit me, "We are not going to make the CIA be authorized channels at least first before and they are refuted by CIA documents exposed any more than they have they go out and publish their scurrilous in my possession." He showed us the been." snorted Lewis. publications." documents to back up his statement. Several months ago, the Senate and House intelligence committees sought to determine whether the CIA had engaged in a deliberate attempt to smear Demetracopoulos. Aspin put the issue directly to the CIA director.