Seeks Notes in Probe of Drug Smuggling : Senate Panel to Subpoena North Diaries

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 16 to 1 Tuesday to subpoena the private working diaries of Lt. Col. Oliver L. North in its investigation of international drug smuggling.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) expressed concern that the originals of the North diaries have never been turned over to government authorities in uncensored form but remain in the hands of North and his attorney, Brendan V. Sullivan.

The subpoena calls for North and Sullivan to produce 2,848 pages of handwritten diary notes in their entirety and with no deletions. Sullivan could not be reached for comment.

Cover Two-Year Period

The notes cover the period from September, 1984, until November, 1986, when North was fired from his position on the National Security Council during the Iran-Contra arms and money scandal.

A version of the North diary has been made available to the congressional Iran-Contra committees, but Kerry said North and Sullivan heavily censored 1,269 pages with black ink.

Speaking of the North diaries, Kerry told the committee: “I’m not asserting that there’s a smoking gun or something hidden or that some of the redactions (deletions) are not appropriate. My assertion is that given what has already been declassified, I don’t know how we can proceed with our investigation without being able to see all of it.”

Seventy-four pages of North’s notes were released Tuesday. Often interspersed in notations about logistics of the war effort of the Nicaraguan rebels are references to drugs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Customs Service, Panamanian Brig. Gen. Manuel A. Noriega and CIA agents.

Kerry complained that most such references are preceded or followed with blacked-out sections.

Reference to Colombia

One note dated June 27, 1984, says, “Drug Case--DEA progress on combatting cocaine,” and refers to possible Colombian negotiations to move drug refining to Nicaragua.

An entry from the previous month notes that CIA Latin American chief Duane (Dewey) Clarridge called and indicated that “(name deleted) contact indicates that Gustavo is involved with drugs.” It is unclear to whom “Gustavo” refers.

Kerry has made it clear that he believes there was a connection between drug running and efforts to supply and arm the Contras. Some testimony before his subcommittee on narcotics and terrorism has focused on that possibility.

Contra leaders have denied involvement in drug trafficking.

Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) voted against issuing the subpoena, saying he did so because he believed that North already is bearing a heavy legal burden.

North is facing trial on federal charges in the Iran-Contra affair, but Kerry said he had been assured by the staff of Iran-Contra independent counsel Lawrence E. Walsh that making the documents available to the Foreign Relations Committee would not interfere with the prosecution.

North and three co-defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in March on conspiracy, theft and wire fraud charges centering on the secret sale of U.S. weapons to Iran and the alleged diversion of the proceeds to the Contras.