Billed as denial, report supports government/crack connection

According to two DC-based investigative bimonthlies, The Consortium and Counterpunch, a December 1997 report released by the Justice Department on July 23 provides striking evidence to support charges that US officials failed to investigate or actually tolerated major cocaine trafficking in US cities by the Nicaraguan contra army in the 1980s. Although the report claims to refute the charges, the report itself is filled with testimony from contras and government informants and officials supporting allegations that were given wide publicity by an August 1996 series by reporter Gary Webb in the San Jose Mercury News of San Jose, California. (The Consortium, Vol. 3, #16, 8/2/98 (http://www.consortiumnews.com); Counterpunch, Vol. 5, #14, 7/16-31/98)/