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; ree only 12 convictions Tesulted,” thé tiahs on the FBI's discretion to; NEW YORK — The Tights of inno ~=ACLU Teport said. “To be sure, this is engage in undercover operations, ~} cent people were endangered by the a 60 Percent success rate, but it is while Continuing to permit such op 4 methods used in the FBI's. Abscam - als a 40 percent failure Tate using a erations to take place under narrow. 4 i, investigation, and those methods highly intrusive technique with ly defined circumstances.” it said. F should be restricted by Congress, an damaging consequences.” -* The report was written by Jerry J, ? 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, Lobe Ee # Standards should be changed to guidelines, which Tequire it to make 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... Teasonably clear to Potential sub- . tion; Saying it was a‘service to the “ty before targeting individuals, said jects” and to offer illegal induce. nation. ©. oot ees the 69-page report titled “The Les. . ments “not ‘unjustifiable in view of: In recent congressional testimony; Sons of Abscam.” an the character Of the illegal transac. ~ Webster said he was convinced that Additional controts should be de- tion in which’. individual: fare} © the FBI had not selectively targeted veloped to ensure Proper supervi- invited to engage”. + -. ° any individual and had violated no sion of undercover Operations, and Those Guidelines, even followed, Constitutional safeguards. ~: ..:'. ‘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 largets of investiga many innocent public Officials were: : Teputation during such an inquiry tion, the Teport’ said.” £ 2. targeted for bribes and brought be- . "should be allowed to sue the govern- The report also said the FBI should- fore the cameras” that secretly re i ment, the report said. * be required to obtain a warrant from. corded bribe Offers. 7s The Abscam inquiry led to the con: @ judge before “using undercover: “We believe that the rights of all . victions of 12 Political figures, in agents “for Purposes of testing a per- Americans are endangered by per- cluding seven congressmen, for "son's ‘criminal Predisposition or for mitting the FBI to retain such discre- cepting bribes from undercover iltrati i: tion, and that crime and corruption , agents. During the 1980 investiga- IS coats "os so ean be adequately Investigated and. tion, FBI agents posed 8s Tepresenta- Ve the facts lead ineScap- _ prosecuted without Tisk to civil lib. tives of a wealthy Arab sheik. ably to the conclusion thét nes erties or compromises of American : “Twenty. meetings were held but lation is required to impose Values,” the report sai THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER Sunday October 19.1982 b3-[16ul- S73