◆ SpookStack

Approved For Release 2000/08/07 : CIA-RDP96-00788R000100330001-5 SPECIAL EDITION -- TERRORISM -- 26 JUNE 1984 9 May 1984 Pg. l SAN JOSE MERCURY Soviets had chance to help plan security By Maline Hazle Staff Writer LOS ANGELES — Top police department officials said Tuesday that the Soviet Union was invited to review and participate in secu- rity arrangements for the Summer Olympic Games but that Soviet officials ignored. the overtures. At one point last month, accord- ing to Chief Daryl F’. Gates, the Soviets sent word they would meet with LAPD representatives, but police Cmdr. William Rathburn — who is heading LAPD Olympic security — waited four hours when -the Soviet delegation was in Los Angeles and no one showed up to meet with him. . oo, “T would suggest’ that if indeed they do believe there is some prob- lem with security, they take me up on my offer,” Gates said at a news conference held after the Soviet boycott was announced. “That cannot be the reason,” he said, “because security will indeed be adequate.” Gates said the Soviets were again invited to review security plans in a letter carried by Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Com- mittee President Peter Ueberroth to a meeting of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland, two weeks ago. In the letter, Gates wrote, “I wish to personally invite any secu- rity officials, particularly those from the Soviet Union, to visit our Olympic Planning Group and review our entire security plan. — “We would, of course, be leased to answer any questions and enter- tain any suggestions that might be made by those officials after. they have reviewed our plan.” “There has..been no follow-up nor any response to the invitation,” said Cmdr.: William : Booth,’ chief LAPD press officer. © ; Booth said that.Gates’ invitation is still open and that ‘police offi- cials hope Soviet officials will change their minds, == i, The spokesman. dismissed sug- gestions that an: anti-Soviet group called Ban the Soviets Coalition had. any real effect on ‘the Rus. sians. Daryl F. Gates. _ + Open invitation “As far..as we're concerned, they’re a small group of people exercising their First Amendment rights,” Booth said. “It’s doubtful that the mighty: Soviet Union. would be intimidated..by such a small band.” The coalition itself took credit for the boycott. © “We dia something,” said Orange County author and adver- tising man David W. Balsiger, “and we. did .it without’ government endorsement’... when éveryone said we couldn't keep the Soviets out.” - aa Nearly every’ Soviet . statement ‘expressing .coneern. about. the Olympic .arrangements in. Los Angeles mentioned the ‘coalition or its activities, <0) 05 0° On Tuesday, the Soviet National Olympic Committee (NOC) said that “extremist: organizations” . in this country, “openly: aiming to. create. unbearable conditions -for the stay of. ‘the Soviet delegation .and for the performance by Soviet athletes, have-sharply stepped up their activity, with direct. conniv- ance of the American authorities.”. ’ A month ago, when the Ban, the. Soviets Coalition: announced plans for Russian-language billboards: with advice to:-potential defectors and information about 500 . “safe houses” throughout Los Angeles, Soviet complaints. reached a fever. The possibility that the coalition could spark at: least some defec- tions was taken seriously. enough by local enforcement agencies that many officers were being given special instruction for handling defectors during the Games. . The. special instruction is just’ one aspect of. what. has been-a massive, five-year effort involving dozens of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. During the Olympics, more than 50 law enforcement agencies — including the FBI, the California. Highway Patrol and county sheriffs’ depart- ‘ments — will be available con- stantly. ' Although events will be held throughout Southern California, _most of the major events will be held within the Los Angeles city limits. In addition, both Olympic villages fall within the LAPD’s The city of Los Angeles has a $22 million contract with the LAOOC to cover the city’s Olym- pic-related costs, with $15.7 million of that earmarked for security. ‘That security effort, Booth said, will rely on all 7,031 L.A. police officers. “Days off, vacations — all will be canceled,” he said. “When we talk numbers, we're talking the entire LAPD.” With so many agencies involved, a battle for control of security was almost inevitable, and last month, the LAPD and the FBI signed an extraordinary document that essentially gave local police pri- mary responsibility for the ath- letes’ safety. Both sides have been reluctant to release the document's full text, but ‘as details emerge, it is clear that: the agreement is broad and general, purposefully vague in cer- tain regards and dependent almost exclusively on the good will of the ‘two signatories. 24 Approved For Release 2000/08/07 : CIA-RDP96-00788R000100330001-5