New Incidents Reported at Panama Bases

On two consecutive nights this week, U.S. Army sentries sighted intruders sneaking into American military installations in Panama but drove them off, in one case by setting off mines and in the other with gunfire, U.S. military spokesmen said Thursday.

The sightings were the third and fourth of elusive infiltrators at U.S. bases along the Panama Canal within 10 days.

The inability of U.S. military officials to give clear explanations of what happened during these infiltrations or to produce significant physical evidence of the intrusions has thrown into question the exact nature of the incidents. U.S. officials suspect that the intruders are Panamanian commandos.

On Thursday, a U.S. military source told The Times that at least two infiltrators were wounded during a sighting and gun battle that took place April 12. One intruder may have died, the source added. The information on casualties was based on reports from a Panamanian village and a hospital in Panama City where the injured were seen, according to the official.

The April 12 clash began after U.S. Marines guarding fuel storage tanks near the Panama Canal sighted 40 to 50 men dressed in black approaching the area, according to accounts at the time.

Marine Killed by Mistake

The night before, one U.S. Marine was mistakenly killed in a shooting incident when Marine guards opened fire after reportedly seeing shadowy figures infiltrating the area.

Reports of the latest infiltration came amid a continuing war of nerves between the United States and Panamanian military strongman Manuel A. Noriega. The United States has beefed up security at its Panama Canal bases, while Gen. Noriega has undertaken a campaign to whip up nationalistic fervor by warning of a coming invasion of Panama.

The Reagan Administration is trying to drive Noriega from power, mainly by using economic pressure. Noriega, who commands Panama’s 15,000-member Defense Forces, is under indictment in the United States on drug-trafficking charges.

On Thursday, there was evident relief at the Southern Command, headquarters for American forces here, when the reports of new intrusions were made public.

“It is fairly conclusive that we are encountering some individuals out there,” said William Ormsbee, the spokesman for the Southern Command. “The latest intrusions corroborate what the Marines found during the first two intrusions.”

According to a statement from the Southern Command, U.S. Army sentries at Howard Air Base sighted about 30 black-clad “intruders” at about 8 p.m. Wednesday. The guards set off two Claymore directional mines by remote control, and the infiltrators retreated.

At about midnight on Tuesday, according to the statement, a U.S. Army guard on patrol saw three men near an ammunition dump at Rodman Naval Station.

The guard ordered the three to stop, and one, wearing a light-colored beret, fired a revolver at the American. The guard shot back and called for help.

The intruder fired again and fled with his two companions, who wore bush hats, according to U.S. military officials.