CIA, CONTRAS AND DRUGS

Editor -- Having caught the headline, ``CIA Knew of Contra Plan to
Sell Drugs in U.S.,'' I was intrigued to find that, yes, the CIA was
made aware that the Nicaraguan Revolutionary Democratic Alliance
(Contras) was planing to sell drugs in the U.S. Also cables were
circulated to the departments of State, Justice, Treasury and Defense
and nothing was done. So now we know, from the CIA's own inspector
general.

I have been made to believe that a free press is the backbone of a
democracy. The world over journalists are harassed, imprisoned and
often worse for reporting the news as they see it. Their coverage is
almost always a precious resource. Here we are supposed to have a free
press.

But Gary Webb was harassed from several directions for his reporting
on this subject, don't you agree? I think it would be appropriate for
San Jose Mercury News to apologize to and even ask or beg Gary to come
back to work.

RONALD V. PAYNE

Sausalito

Checked-by: Patrick Henry