RENO ORDERS DELAY IN RELEASE OF CIA COCAINE REPORT

WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Attorney General Janet Reno on Friday
ordered the Justice Department's inspector general to delay the release of
a report into allegations involving the CIA, crack cocaine and a Nicaraguan
rebel group.

Inspector General Michael Bromwich immediately issued a statement
disagreeing with Reno's decision, but saying that under the law he had no
choice but to go along with it.

``I hope that we will be able to release the report in its entirety in the
not-too-distant future,'' he said. ``At that time, I look forward to a full
and open discussion of the findings contained in our report.''

The report stemmed from reports in 1996 by the San Jose Mercury News that
the CIA helped introduce crack cocaine into California in an effort to
funnel drug profits to the Nicaraguan Contra rebels in the 1980s.

A report by the CIA inspector general found no support for the allegations,
but its release also has been delayed by the Justice Department.

U.S. officials have said Bromwich uncovered no evidence that the CIA or any
other U.S. intelligence agency had sought to interfere with a specific
investigation or drug-case prosecution.

Reno in a letter to Bromwich cited ``unspecified law enforcement concerns''
unrelated to his ultimate conclusions as the reason for delaying the
release of the report, which was completed a month ago.

``This prohibition on public disclosure of your report shall remain in
effect until I determine that the law enforcement concerns that have caused
me to make this decision no longer warrant deferral of its public
release,'' she said.

Until its public release, the report will not be changed, Reno said.

Bromwich said he had been working with Justice Department officials over
the past month ``to resolve the issues that have blocked public release of
the report,'' and he expressed regret the effort had yet to be successful.

``Although I disagree with her decision, it is her decision to make under
the law. I respect that decision and must abide by it,'' he said of Reno's
action.