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Approved For Release 2000/08/07 : CIA-RDP96-00788R000100330001-5 SPECIAL EDITION -- TERRORISM -- 26 JUNE 1984 NEW YORK TIMES 8 June 1984 Pq. 1 U.S. Military Creates Secret Units For Use in Sensitive Tasks A broad | The following article is based on reporting by Jeff Gerth and Philip Taub- man and was written by Mr. Gerth. Special to The New York Times WASHINGTON, June 7 — The De- fense Department has created several secret commando units in recent years, and they have tried to rescue missing Americans in danger spots abroad, participated in the invasion of Grenada and supported Central Intelli- gence Agency covert operations in Cen- tral America, according to Administra- tion officials and members of Con- gress. The development of the elite units, which has extended the military’s traditional concept of special forces, has raised concern in Congress, some lawmakers say. They say the worry is that the units might become a uni- formed version of the Central Intelli- gence Agency and be used to circum- vent Congressional restrictions and re- porting requirements on intelligence activities and the use of American forces in combat operations. But a senior intelligence official denied that such a risk existed. He said that although the new special opera- tions forces constituted a resource for intelligence operations, any such. use of them would be directed by the C.1.A. and properly reported to Congress. Some of the units were created to fight terrorism ‘but have acquired broadened mandates and training for missions against insurgencies in devel- oping countries in Central America, Af- rica and Asia, according to the Admin- istration officials and members of Con- gress. The training and activities of the units are highly classified. The growth of the units, Administra- tion officials said, stemmed from a general concern at senior levels in the Government that the United States needed to improve its ability to use spe- cialized forms of force in situations in which the open exercise of power and the deployment of large numbers of men and weapons would be politically unacceptable. . In a few instances, including opera- tions in Central America, these new units have worked in conjunction with C.I.A. covert activities, but they are not officially considered intelligence organizations. Some of the Congressional commit- tees that have jurisdiction over intelli- gence and military matters, including the Armed Services and Intelligence committees in the House and Senate, are seeking clarification from the De- fense Department about the role of the- new units and their relationship to laws and regulations governing intelligence activities. Maj. Gen. Wesley H. Rice, the direc- tor of the Joint Special Operations Agency, which provides high-level Pentagon planning and coordination for the units, told a House subcommit- tee in April that he did not view his or- ganization ‘‘as an agency of interest to the intelligence oversight committee." His remarks disturbed some of the members and staff of the intelligence committee, which has been trying to Jook into some of the organization's ac- tivities. ; ‘Trying to Learn More’ Senator Joseph R. Biden, Democrat of Delaware, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said in an interview: ‘“‘We are aware of the existence of the special operations units but not sufficiently informed about their activities or their connec- tion to intelligence operations. We are trying to learn more.” Much about the units remains secret. The Defense Department refused to provide information about the organi- zation, training or activities of the groups, and the military officers who direct them declined to be interviewed. But interviews with current and for- mer Defense Department and intelli- gence officials, members of Congress and staff members. of key Congres- sional committees, disclosed these de- tails about the new units: They operate under the direction of the Joint Special Operations Com- mand, centered at Fort Bragg in Fay- etteville, N.C. The command was created to coordinate United States counterterrorist activities in the wake of the failed 1980 mission to rescue Americans held hostage in Iran. The command, which is headed by Brig. Gen. Richard A. Scholtes, has a sepa-~ rate budget for the development and procurement of special assault weap- ons. It has a core force of elite troops who can be quickly supplemented with more traditional commando units from the military services, including the Army Special Forces, better known as the Green Berets, €The special operations units and the command structure above them have provided limited resources, both equip- ment and personnel, to the C.I.A. for its covert operations in Central America, according to an American official ARMS AID...Continued cent interview. “It basically conflicts with standard doctrine, and there’s a certain amount of discomfort that goes with that.” _ But retired Adm. Robert LJ. Long, who headed the Pentagon in- vestigation of the Marine headquar- ters bombing in Beirut last October, said the military will have to adjust to “low-level” conflicts. “The United States as a super- power has become increasingly in- capable and impotent at this low end of the spectrum,” Long said in a recent address. “This administration recognized that our problem is some- thing more than countering the So- viets on the plains of Germany. “It’s only been recently that the true meaning of regional confronta- tion has been understood,” he added. “This is an area we're going to hear more of. The interests of the United States and the free world are clearly at stake.” familiar with the operations. Under the terms of a secret 1983 memo to Presi- dent Reagan from Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger, the Pentagon pledged to provide a wide range of logistical support and manpower to as- sist C.I.A. covert operations in Central America, including support of Nicara- guan rebels. The Senate and House in- telligence committees are investigat- ing whether this Pentagon support al- lowed the C.I.A. to circumvent restric- tions, including a $24 miilion ceiling, on support for the rebels this year. GSome of the special operations com- mand units played a key but still largely secret role in the American in- vasion of Grenada last fall, according to American officials. The units, in- cluding Navy Sea Air and Land teams, known as SEAL’s, infiltrated Grenada during the predawn hours before the landing of Marines and Army Rangers. They successfully carried out one ac- tion, safeguarding Grenada’s Governor General], Sir Paul Scoon, but failed in two others, including an effort to knock the Grenada radio off the air, accord- ing to a Congressional report. At least four men were killed in these opera- tions, which remain officially classi- fied. . GThe command’s units tried to find missing or captured Americans in Lebanon in the last 18 months and as- sisted in the 1982 search for Brig. Gen. James L. Dozier, who was heid hostage by Italian terrorists. As the Govern- ment’s.primary counterterrorist strike force, the units under the special opera- tions command have been deployed in other unspecified situations around the CONTINUED NEXT PAGE Approved For Release 2000/08/07 : CIA-RDP96-00788R000100330001-5