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Vincent Cannistraro was Director of NSC Intelligence from November 1984 to January 1987 . He was Special Assistant for Intelligence in the office of the Secretary of Defense (January 1987-October 1988). Prior to 1984, he was a CIA officer active in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. He served in Washington at CIA headquarters as Chief of the Central American Task Force, from 1983 to 1984, and then was removed by CIA Director William Casey for opposing paramilitary operations in that region. <Report by Special Prosecutor Lawrence Walsh; report of joint Congressional committees investigation of Iran/contra 1987>. '''Vincent Cannistraro''' was Director of ] Intelligence from November 1984 to January 1987 <ref> “Director of NSC Intelligence from 1984 to 1987, Cannistraro went on to serve as chief of operations for the CIA's Counterterrorism Center and to lead the CIA's investigation into the bombing of Pan Am 103...” -- From a PBS interview that may be read here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/target/interviews/ </ref>. He was Special Assistant for Intelligence in the office of the ] (January 1987-October 1988). Prior to 1984, he was a ] officer active in the ], ], ], and most importantly ], where he was a member of the CIA's ] <ref> “Vince Cannistraro, a former member of the CIA's clandestine service and one-time director of intelligence programs at the National Security Council.” -- Associated Press, March 2, 1997, Sunday, AM cycle, Washington Dateline, 788 words, CIA cuts off more than 1,000 informants, many for criminality, By JOHN DIAMOND, Associated Press Writer, WASHINGTON</ref>. The agency's clandestine service manages the agency's ] center, ] and ] operations <ref> The Washington Post, August 09, 2002, Friday, Final Edition, A SECTION; Pg. A01, 2035 words, The Slowly Changing Face of the CIA Spy; Recruits Eager to Fight Terror Are Flooding In, but Few Look the Part, Dana Priest, Washington Post Staff Writer.</ref>. Cannistraro presided over the creation of such paramilitary operations - in particular, those which trained ex-]n dictator ]'s right-wing forces - the ] - to overthrow the democratically elected leftist ] government <ref> United Press International, June 15, 1987, Monday, AM cycle, Washington News, 519 words, Walsh draws testimony from NSC officials, By LORI SANTOS, WASHINGTON</ref>. This operation, during which the Contra ] slaughtered innocent men, women and children, became part of the infamous ] scandal. Cannistraro was even the author of the infamous CIA manual for assasination<ref> Tale of Two White House Aides: Confidence and Motivation; North Viewed as a Can-Do Marine Who Went Too Far in Zealousness, The Washington Post, November 30, 1986, Sunday, Final Edition Correction Appended, FIRST SECTION; PAGE A1, 2694 words, David Ignatius, Washington Post Staff Writer, FOREIGN NEWS, NATIONAL NEWS, BIOGRAPHY</ref>. Deemed illegal in 1984, the operation, rather than actually being halted, was simply transferred by ] to the NSC, of which Cannistraro was then promptly made Director <ref> Kornbluh, P., and M. Byrne. 1993. The Iran-Contra Scandal: The declassified history. New York: The New Press. (p.xviii): President Reagan “transferred the Contra program from the CIA to the NSC after congressional authorization for the CIA’s Contra program expired in mid 1984.”</ref>.


Cannistraro is the former head of Counterterrorism Operations and Analysis at the CIA's Counterterrorism Center (1988-1991); he led the CIA's investigation into the Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am 103 by the Libyan government. He left the CIA in 1991, since when he has been a consultant on global security events and intelligence issues for corporate and US government clients. He is often cited by U.S. media on these issues, as well as in Europe and Asia. His role in countering the terrorist group Abu Nidal Organization was documented in the book "Eclipse" by author Mark Perry published by Morrow in 1992. Cannistraro is the former head of Counterterrorism Operations and Analysis at the CIA's Counterterrorism Center; he led the CIA's investigation into the ] by the Libyan government. He left the CIA in 1991, since when he has been a consultant on global security events and intelligence issues for corporate and US government clients. He is often cited by ] media on these issues, despite his instrumental role in the Contra scandal.

⚫ He has commented on the forged ] "]" uranium documents <ref>Ian Masters, , '']'', ], ] -- Edited transcript of interview with Cannistraro</ref>, which attempted to link ] with nuclear weapons development, and on the related disclosure of the identity of CIA agent ]. He was a charter signer of a letter to President Bush arguing for the enactment of a ban on torture by American officials.

===References===
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==External links==
* , '']'' -- Biography
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⚫ He has commented on the forged Niger "yellowcake" uranium documents , which attempted to link Iraq with nuclear weapons development, and on the related disclosure of the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame. He was a charter signer of a letter to President Bush arguing for the enactment of a ban on torture by American officials.


{{US-bio-stub}} {{US-bio-stub}}

Revision as of 18:25, 10 April 2006

Vincent Cannistraro was Director of NSC Intelligence from November 1984 to January 1987 . He was Special Assistant for Intelligence in the office of the Secretary of Defense (January 1987-October 1988). Prior to 1984, he was a CIA officer active in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and most importantly Central America, where he was a member of the CIA's clandestine service . The agency's clandestine service manages the agency's counterterrorism center, espionage and paramilitary operations . Cannistraro presided over the creation of such paramilitary operations - in particular, those which trained ex-Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza's right-wing forces - the Contras - to overthrow the democratically elected leftist Sandinista government . This operation, during which the Contra terrorists slaughtered innocent men, women and children, became part of the infamous Iran-Contra scandal. Cannistraro was even the author of the infamous CIA manual for assasination. Deemed illegal in 1984, the operation, rather than actually being halted, was simply transferred by Reagan to the NSC, of which Cannistraro was then promptly made Director .

Cannistraro is the former head of Counterterrorism Operations and Analysis at the CIA's Counterterrorism Center; he led the CIA's investigation into the Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am 103 by the Libyan government. He left the CIA in 1991, since when he has been a consultant on global security events and intelligence issues for corporate and US government clients. He is often cited by U.S. media on these issues, despite his instrumental role in the Contra scandal.

He has commented on the forged Niger "yellowcake" uranium documents , which attempted to link Iraq with nuclear weapons development, and on the related disclosure of the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame. He was a charter signer of a letter to President Bush arguing for the enactment of a ban on torture by American officials.

References

  1. “Director of NSC Intelligence from 1984 to 1987, Cannistraro went on to serve as chief of operations for the CIA's Counterterrorism Center and to lead the CIA's investigation into the bombing of Pan Am 103...” -- From a PBS interview that may be read here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/target/interviews/
  2. “Vince Cannistraro, a former member of the CIA's clandestine service and one-time director of intelligence programs at the National Security Council.” -- Associated Press, March 2, 1997, Sunday, AM cycle, Washington Dateline, 788 words, CIA cuts off more than 1,000 informants, many for criminality, By JOHN DIAMOND, Associated Press Writer, WASHINGTON
  3. The Washington Post, August 09, 2002, Friday, Final Edition, A SECTION; Pg. A01, 2035 words, The Slowly Changing Face of the CIA Spy; Recruits Eager to Fight Terror Are Flooding In, but Few Look the Part, Dana Priest, Washington Post Staff Writer.
  4. United Press International, June 15, 1987, Monday, AM cycle, Washington News, 519 words, Walsh draws testimony from NSC officials, By LORI SANTOS, WASHINGTON
  5. Tale of Two White House Aides: Confidence and Motivation; North Viewed as a Can-Do Marine Who Went Too Far in Zealousness, The Washington Post, November 30, 1986, Sunday, Final Edition Correction Appended, FIRST SECTION; PAGE A1, 2694 words, David Ignatius, Washington Post Staff Writer, FOREIGN NEWS, NATIONAL NEWS, BIOGRAPHY
  6. Kornbluh, P., and M. Byrne. 1993. The Iran-Contra Scandal: The declassified history. New York: The New Press. (p.xviii): President Reagan “transferred the Contra program from the CIA to the NSC after congressional authorization for the CIA’s Contra program expired in mid 1984.”
  7. Ian Masters, "Who Forged the Niger Documents?", AlterNet, April 7, 2005 -- Edited transcript of interview with Cannistraro

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