The Secret Team: The Hidden Side of Government Involved in Assassinations, Arms, Drugs

The Secret Team is a term used to refer to a group of individuals who were involved in covert operations and intelligence activities during the 1980s. This group was instrumental in the Iran-Contra scandal, which involved the illegal sale of weapons to Iran and the diversion of funds to support the Contras, a right-wing rebel group fighting against the socialist government of Nicaragua.

The Secret Team was made up of members of the Reagan administration, including officials from the National Security Council (NSC) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), as well as private individuals and businessmen who were connected to the Reagan administration. The group operated outside the normal channels of government, using secret bank accounts and offshore companies to finance their activities.

The Secret Team was led by Colonel Oliver North, who worked in the NSC and was responsible for coordinating the Contra aid program. North was a key figure in the Iran-Contra scandal, as he played a central role in the diversion of funds to the Contras and the sale of weapons to Iran.

The activities of The Secret Team were highly controversial and illegal. The Iran-Contra scandal led to investigations and hearings, and several members of The Secret Team were indicted and convicted of criminal charges, including North. The scandal also led to a broader debate about the role of the government in covert operations and the need for greater oversight and transparency in the intelligence community.

Overall, The Secret Team was a powerful and influential group that operated in secret and outside of normal channels of government. Their activities had a major impact on U.S. foreign policy during the 1980s and sparked a debate about the role of covert operations and the need for greater transparency and accountability in government.

The Christic Institute was a public interest law firm that was involved in investigating and exposing the activities of The Secret Team in the 1980s. The Institute was founded in 1980 by attorney Daniel Sheehan, who had previously worked on the Pentagon Papers case and was known for his advocacy work on behalf of social justice causes.

The Christic Institute became involved in investigating The Secret Team after it received a tip from an informant in 1984. The informant, a former member of The Secret Team named Gunther Russbacher, provided the Institute with detailed information about the group's activities, including their involvement in arms trafficking, drug smuggling, and money laundering.

Based on this information, the Christic Institute filed a lawsuit in 1986 against several members of The Secret Team, including Oliver North, Richard Secord, and Albert Hakim, as well as several other individuals and companies allegedly connected to the group. The lawsuit accused the defendants of a wide range of illegal activities, including conspiracy to violate civil rights, racketeering, and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

The Christic Institute's lawsuit was unsuccessful in court, as it was dismissed on technical grounds in 1991. However, the Institute's investigation and advocacy work helped to expose the activities of The Secret Team to the public and contributed to the broader debate about government secrecy and accountability.

The Christic Institute's involvement with The Secret Team was a significant moment in the history of government accountability and transparency. It demonstrated the power of public interest litigation and advocacy to expose government wrongdoing and hold powerful individuals and organizations accountable.

There have been allegations that The Secret Team was involved in assassination attempts, although the evidence for these claims is limited and remains controversial.

One of the most well-known allegations of assassination attempts involving The Secret Team relates to the 1980 bombing of a civilian airliner in Nicaragua. The plane, which was carrying 96 passengers, was destroyed by a bomb shortly after takeoff, killing everyone on board. The Nicaraguan government accused The Secret Team of carrying out the bombing as part of their efforts to destabilize the socialist government of Nicaragua.

While there is no direct evidence linking The Secret Team to the bombing, there have been allegations that members of the group were involved in supporting Contra rebels who carried out attacks on civilian targets. Some of these attacks, such as the bombing of a Nicaraguan port in 1984, resulted in civilian deaths.

In addition to these specific allegations, there have been broader claims that The Secret Team was involved in carrying out covert assassinations as part of their operations. These claims have been difficult to substantiate, as much of the group's activities were conducted in secret and outside of normal channels of government oversight.

Overall, while there is limited evidence linking The Secret Team to specific instances of assassination, there have been allegations of involvement in such activities as part of their broader efforts to support anti-communist forces in Central America.