◆ SpookStack

€ . “ 1 f ' % et : KSL.AM.TV wv, nine 145 Social Hall Avenue ; Salt Lake City, Utah 84117 HMM { I % f } (17~'81) Subject: ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW Spokesman: Roger Young, Federal Bureau of Investigation Broadcast: January 17, 1981 Several weeks ago, KSL criticized the 'Abscan!' investigation conducted by the F.B.I. In response, Mr. Roger Young wrote from Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Washington, D.C. He said, in part (quote): "| . . Some crimes, such as public corruption, would rarely be discovered or prosecuted without undercover activity. Both the person offering the bribe and the person accepting it are covert in their criminal arrangement. Since bribery has no traditional victim, except the unknowing citizen/taxpayer, there is no one to came forth and report the crime. “All of our undercover operations, including Abscam, are targeted toward criminality, not individuals or institutions. The Abscan case began as an investigation into stolen art in New York and fran there led to allegations of illegality in the New Jersey casinos. Eventually the trail of alleged criminality led us to national public officials." F.B.I. Inspector Young continued: te. "Undercover operations do not ‘cause’ crime; they merely provide By an opportunity for those inclined to break the law to do so while the government compiles the evidence. By detecting criminals who would have otherwise gone undiscovered, these undercover activities also may discourage similar criminal activity. “The FBI is committed to using its investigative tools lawfully and ageressively to make the greatest possible impact upon major areas of criminality. We believe that our undercover operations, including Abscam, are an essential element of that commitment." KSL thanks Inspector Roger Young of the F.B.I. for his camments. “Another Viewpoint” was broadcast in response to a KSL Editorial Comment. It may be reprinted only by permission of KSL.