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Netherlands: CIA attempted to infiltrate

01 July 1997

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The CIA attempted to infiltrate the Dutch Partij van de Arbeid (Party of Labour, PvdA, sister organisation to the British Labour Party) recruiting a PvdA MP, in the late seventies. This has been revealed by two academics, B de Graaff and C Wiebes in a contribution to a history of the CIA, Eternal Vigilance.

De Graaff and Wiebes have not been able to find out who the recruited MP was. They have been able to trace the identity of the CIA agent, who they describe as being a highly experienced member, with postings in Germany, Greece, Poland and the US before working in the Hague between 1979 and 1981. The academics made their discovery while researching into the Inlichtingen Dienst Buitenland (Foreign Intelligence Service), the Dutch counterpart to the CIA, which was abolished in 1992.

PvdA sources claim to be surprised but not astounded by the revelations concerning the CIA operation against them. The PvdA had attracted the attention of the US government by opposing the installation of cruise missiles in the Netherlands, while many of its members had supported unilateral disarmament. Ed van Thijn, now mayor of Amsterdam but at that time deputy leader of the parliamentary party, commented: "We were a large party who were expounding controversial positions. There was great interest in our party at the American Embassy."

NRC Handelsblad Weekeditie 22.7.97

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