DATE=6/3/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233292
TITLE=U-S SPY PLEA (L ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM MALONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ONE OF THREE FORMER STUDENT RADICALS CHARGED WITH SPYING
FOR THE FORMER EAST GERMANY PLEADED GUILTY WEDNESDAY TO
CONSPIRING TO COMMIT ESPIONAGE AND IS NOW EXPECTED TO COOPERATE
WITH PROSECUTORS. V-O-A NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE HAS
MORE ON A CASE WHICH HAS SOME DISTINCT ECHOES OF THE COLD WAR.
TEXT: PLEADING GUILTY TO SPY CHARGES IS FORMER U-S ARMY LEGAL
ASSISTANT (PARALEGAL) JAMES MICHAEL CLARK. CLARK ADMITTED
CONSPIRING WITH TWO FRIENDS TO PROVIDE U-S INTELLIGENCE SECRETS
TO OTHER COUNTRIES INCLUDING THE FORMER EAST GERMANY AND THE
FORMER SOVIET UNION.
CLARK FACES A SENTENCE OF ANYWHERE FROM 12 YEARS TO LIFE IN
PRISON BUT COULD BE GIVEN LESS JAIL TIME DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH HE
COOPERATES WITH PROSECUTORS.
CLARK ENTERED HIS GUILTY PLEA AS PART OF AN AGREEMENT TO TESTIFY
ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES OF HIS ALLEGED CO-CONSPIRATORS -- FORMER
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT LAWYER THERESA SQUILLACOTE AND HER HUSBAND,
LABOR UNION REPRESENTATIVE KURT STAND. BOTH OF THEM HAVE PLEADED
NOT GUILTY TO THE CHARGES AND THEIR LAWYERS SAY THE GOVERNMENT
IMPROPERLY OBTAINED EVIDENCE THROUGH THE USE OF SECRET ELECTRONIC
SURVEILLANCE AND ILLEGAL SEARCHES OF THEIR HOME.
PROSECUTORS ALLEGE THAT ALL THREE MET WHILE STUDENTS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN IN THE EARLY 1970'S AND WERE LATER
RECRUITED AS SPIES BY EAST GERMAN INTELLIGENCE. A GRAND JURY
INDICTMENT SAID CLARK TURNED OVER INTELLIGENCE MATERIAL TO THE
EAST GERMANS BETWEEN 1979 AND 1984.
THE F-B-I WAS TIPPED OFF TO THEIR ALLEGED ACTIVITIES WHEN THEIR
NAMES APPEARED IN FILES OF THE EAST GERMAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
WHICH WERE OPENED AFTER THE COLD WAR ENDED. ALL THREE WERE
ARRESTED LAST OCTOBER AFTER FEDERAL AGENTS POSING AS SOUTH
AFRICAN OFFICIALS CONTACTED THERESA SQUILLACOTE AND REQUESTED
THAT SHE SPY ON THEIR BEHALF.
BOTH MS. SQUILLACOTE AND HER HUSBAND, KURT STAND, FACE CHARGES OF
CONSPIRING TO COMMIT ESPIONAGE. THEIR ATTORNEYS SAY THEY ARE
MERELY COMMITTED MARXISTS WHO ARE BEING PROSECUTED FOR ALLEGIANCE
TO AN IDEOLOGY. (SIGNED)
NEB/JBM/KL
03-Jun-98 2:03 PM EDT (1803 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
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