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6-A Sunday, Oct. 10,1989 ~~ Philadelphia Inquirer ( 7 Be q a — rere ec a DEY may eeu F SOMES green aS ee a a * af _ FBI's methods in Abscam’ Threaten rights, ACLU says' ¢ Pram travirer Wise Services 07 only 12 convictions ‘Tesulted,” the tiahs.on the FBI's. discretion: hea “SEP ae mye, Should be restricted by Congress, an | damaging consequences.” American Civil Liberties Union The report said the FBI in some Berman, the ACLU's Washington jeg-! (ACLU) report said yesterday. . - cases Violated its own Undercover islative Counsel 2 lt. i NEW YORK — The rights of inno = ACLU report said. “To be sure, this is engage in undercover operations, ~; cent people were endangered bythe a 60 percent Success rate, but it is while continuing to permit such op j Methods used in the FBI's, Abscam - alsé a 40 percent failure rate using a erations to take Place under narrow- investigation, and those: methods highly intrusive technique with ly defined circumstances,” it said. £ i - "The report was written by Jerry Jv. Standards should be changed to guidelines, which require it tOmake —s FBI director William H. Webster. requite, among other things, that the “the corrupt nature of the activity has long defended the Abscam opera FBI find a pattern of criminal activi. 1, Feasonably clear to potential sub- . tion; Saying it was a ‘service to the “Yy before targeting individuals, said jects” and to offer illegal induce. nation. cok. ae. B the 69-page report titled “The Les-. ments “aot unjustifiable in view of In recent congressional testimony; >. -. SODS of Abscam.” on the character of Ne . Additional controls should be de tion in which’.: “individuals... fare} the FBI had not selectively targeted oO veloped to ensure proper’ supervi- invited to engage”. et any individual and had violated 3 sion of undercover operations, and + Those guidelines, even H followed, constitutional safeguards. ; ..: the illegal transac. Webster said he was convinced that an innocent person who suffers an do not adequately Protect the inno - But the ACLU report said that “too . © invasion of privacy or an injury to cent from being targets of investiga | many innocent public officials were: im Teputation during such an inquiry tion, the report'said.“¥° 5 Ps targeted for bribes and brought be. . “4 should be allowed to sue the govern- ‘The r=port also said the FBI should- fore the cameras” that secretly re i...’ ment, the Teport said. be required to‘obtain a warrant from. corded bribe offers..:°: +. Poy . The Abscam inquiry led to the.con: - a judge before ‘using undercover. - “We believe that the rights of all . vf — . victions of 12 ‘political figures, in - gents “for Purposes of testing a per- Americans are endangered by per- - cluding seven Congressmen, for ac-”"son’s ‘criminal Predisposition or for mitting the FBI to retain such discre. agents. During the 1980 investiga: Aton 7 lation is req Values,” the report said.’ ‘_ te ¢ ‘Twenty. mee tings were heid but ulred to impose dimita- cepting bribes from undercover ; Covert infiltration. of ale ofganiza- tion, and that crime and corruption . i rte Nw Rae? 7 >. , CaM be adequately investigated ang. ‘ tion, FBI agents posed as Tepresenta--".- “We believe the facts tead ineScap- | prosecited without risk to civil lib lives of a wealthy Arab sheik. . ably to the conclusion that new legis- erties or compromises of “American °: THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER Sunday October 19.1982 L3-116uf° S73 see nt oe Ee E \ L oe RT BRT < a aR iiedaeeaaalemeeainer ia? Seatac + qLOSURE