FBI Gears Up for Soviet Visitors to San Diego

As city officials open their arms to the largest number of Soviet tourists ever to visit San Diego, FBI officials, in an unusual public appeal, are warning residents that their contacts with visiting Russians may be used by “skilled intelligence officers” for espionage.

“Every San Diego citizen should be a good host to visitors but should also be alert. If activity is observed which appears to be outside the normal tourist activity, the FBI should be contacted,” according to a Federal Bureau of Investigation statement prepared for a news conference this morning.

More than 300 Soviets are expected to arrive for San Diego’s Soviet Arts Festival, which begins Oct. 21. City officials say they are making every effort to make them feel welcome. But the FBI warns that spies could easily use the festival hoopla to veil their activities and dupe unwitting citizens into revealing more than they ought to.

During 1987, the State Department granted 12,000 Soviet tourist visas nationwide. In 1988, the number jumped to 27,500 and, this year, officials estimate that the number will increase 500% to more than 60,000 visas. “The increase in visitors coming to San Diego is proportionately similar,” the FBI statement said.

“This increased contact between San Diego residents and Soviet citizens is both good and bad,” says the FBI statement. “There is, however, the possibility that these contacts will be used by skilled intelligence officers for other purposes. Experience shows such has occurred in the past and wisdom suggests it will happen in the future.”

City officials say residents have responded to the Soviet visitors with offers of hospitality. Some have offered to open their homes to visitors; others said they would cook dinners. And more than 100,000 tickets to the festival have already been sold.

Mayor Maureen O’Connor, the leading proponent of the festival, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. A spokesman, Paul Downey, said: “We really don’t see any problems at all--we are doing this with the total blessing of the U.S. government. From our standpoint, everybody who is coming from the Soviet Union is connected with the arts. I think everybody coming is who they say they are.”

Local military officials declined to discuss whether they will beef up security, as the FBI is doing.

“The military is not going to change its posture,” said Cmdr. Doug Schamp, a Navy spokesman. “If the Soviet Union wanted to get someone to San Diego, it’s not impossible and they don’t need a festival to do it.”

Just last week, however, Soviet Defense Minister Dmitri Yazov was welcomed to San Diego, and escorted around North Island Naval Air Station and Camp Pendleton Marine Base.