DATE=2/7/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=COHEN - C-I-A (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258930
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Defense Secretary William Cohen says he may
soon cut off all access to military secrets for a
former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency who
is accused of carelessly handling sensitive
information. V-O-A's Jim Randle reports.
TEXT: If Defense Secretary Cohen revokes the one-time
spymaster's last clearance, John Deutch will have to
get his information from a newspaper rather than
classified documents.
Mr. Deutch was the number-two civilian at the Defense
Department before he was named C-I-A director in 1995.
After he left that post the next year, he was been
accused of working on extremely sensitive information
on an unguarded home computer, for university research
and to advise contractors. Some experts say using
that computer for e-mail and Internet access might
have given a skilled spy some of America's most
closely-guarded secrets. Mr. Deutch has declined to
testify to a congressional committee on the matter.
Last August, the C-I-A cut off most of Mr. Deutch's
access to secrets, and Pentagon officials also cut off
one of his three clearances at that time.
Monday, Mr. Cohen disclosed for the first time that
Mr. Deutch still has a clearance to see some Pentagon
information on industrial topics, including some data
classified Top Secret. Mr. Cohen says legal officials
at the C-I-A are briefing Pentagon officials on
evidence in the case, and he may revoke Mr. Deutch's
last clearance.
The Defense Secretary says the information should have
been shared some time ago.
/// COHEN ACT ///
I think it should have been done sooner. But it
was not. They are now accelerating the transfer
of this information to the D-O-D (Department of
Defense) so that we are in a position to make a
judgment.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Cohen's complaint echoes those of congressional
critics of the C-I-A, who say the agency dithered
(waited) for months before taking action to cut off
the clearances. Mr. Cohen says there is no evidence
that any secrets were actually lost, or that Mr.
Deutch did anything to deliberately jeopardize
security. (Signed).
NEB/JR/TVM/gm
07-Feb-2000 22:11 PM EDT (08-Feb-2000 0311 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
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