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A2 FBI 'Sting' Operation Snare? Several Members of Congress Intoducetem-to members Congress who wojhld help their "Arab" client ior cash. said. Sources said Criden was.questioned-by FBI: Sources gave this account of the case: the. J investigation began in the'summer of'is78 opening the door to confronting the,four When FBI. agents.set up a "sting" operation In each case, Criden.or the member is al- I bers to sell stolen government securities and. leged to have accepted about $50,o0o-in cash other valuables, starting on Long Island. in return,for promises the help the "Arab oil successful, though it has not been publicized tering the United States or settling here. Jenrette of South Carolina also reportedly yet. The undercover agents solicited business $50,00o for an immigration bill, and the money' by letting the underworld sourees know they was later picked upby an associate, sources said. williams was impllcated when he operation XBSCAM-for Arab scam. Sen. By last, fall, associates of some of the mem. agrged ta help in obtaining military contracts , See PROBE,. A2, CoL, 1 PROBE, From AI, ranging meetings, in Washington and New *York, between the undercover agents and the for a,titanium mine for which bereceived federal officials. I In: one videotaped: transaction, a member Stock, the'sources said, Sources cautioned that Indictments mighta tighting over a briefcase full, of cash as the hot result, from- all the cases. eave the room. Thompson said-last night that he was ques. On another oceasion, another membe of tioned by the FBI yesterday, and acknowledg- ed monthstago talking to two men in wyash. ongress flatIy refused to take part Inythe Jngton who sald they represented ah investor' with a Jarge amount of money..Criten made Iegislation' and stalked out: of the. room. the introductions, he sajd. One source who has vlewed some of the 1 Thompson emphatlcally denied ever talling tapes said he yas "sickened" by the sight of noney for help with legislation. He said he members of Congress nodding in agreement tifd sn.vest the names of some New Jerley Jank in his district as possible places'to cover agents mentioned giving them moncy inct the money. for legislative favors: Williams. in a slatement issued by his In a copyrighted story by its Washington olflice. -aid. "Nobody from the Department of bureau chief, Anthony Marro, Newsday re- -thee has lalked to me-at all about this. In ported that in one. transaction caught on faet. nat one soul has talked to me. Honestly. videotape, a member of Congress is seen I san sny I don't have any comment on this." The other members of Congress under jacket pockets. investi:ation could not be reached fo: con- To -astablish their "covers' as represent. meni. 1 ivral point of the investigation was a agents were provlded with a large yacht, a large house in northwest Washington where condominium at an ocean resort. the house the undercover agents entertained some of here, and private planes in. addition to the.y their congressional guests. hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, NBC TV last night showed film it took Newsday said. of the house where the FBI filmed members. The inyestigation is. being coordinarea-rom Reporter Brian Ross neted that the ligots in the housc were unusually brisbt to accommo. date the secret FBI rideotaping cquipnent. Mor thn 1o Fhl auents were invalved yecie!dny in trying to reach the members of