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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ex-Contras Say Cia Cleared Donations From Drug Suspect

Associated Press

Two former Nicaraguan Contra leaders say they received CIA clearance in 1984 to accept airplanes and cash from a man under federal indictment on drug trafficking charges, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The newspaper quoted Octaviano Cesar and Adolfo “Popo” Chamorro as saying they asked a CIA official if they could accept George Morales’ offer.

At the time, Congress had cut off funding for the covert U.S. effort to help the Contras battle Nicaragua’s leftist Sandinista government, and the Reagan administration was seeking alternative means to help the Contras.

“I called our contact at the CIA, of course I did,” the Post quoted Chamorro as saying. “The truth is we were still getting some CIA money under the table. They said (Morales) was fine.”

CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield said allegations that the CIA was involved with cocaine traffickers are under investigation and “it would be inappropriate to comment on such allegations.”

The Post story said Duane “Dewey” Clarridge, a retire CIA official who headed the Latin America division in 1984, disputed the Contra officials account that they went to the agency for clearance.

The newspaper reported that Clarridge said he never dealt with Chamorro and never knew Morales.

The CIA inspector general is looking into allegations that the agency was involved in the introduction of crack cocaine into the United States.