Cia Operations In Portugal

CIA Operations In Portugal

A Portuguese military officer who was one of the founders of the recent army coup in Portugal has told the Washington Post that the CIA has been operating "in force" in Portugal during the past few weeks.

The Post states that the officer, who asked not to be identified, says that leaders of the new Portuguese government are aware of a number of CIA agents operating in Lisbon and Operta, the two major industrial centers of Portugal.

The officer reportedly told the Post that the CIA is also maintaining a Communications vessel off the coast of Lisbon.

The reports of CIA interest in Portugal's internal affairs come in the wake of other recent accounts by British and American newspapers of a growing U.S. concern over the black guerrilla movement in Africa.

The Union of South Africa is known to be worried that the Portuguese might withdraw their troops from the African continent, triggering what South Africans fear could be a major upsurge in black guerrilla activity there.

A number of newspapers have also reported that NATO, under United States direction, has drawn up contingency plans to protect sea routes around South Africa-and that secret meetings between South African military leaders and Pentagon officials were held in Washington this month. -ZODIAC