U.S.

Produces Kidnap , Plot Letters

By Betty Medsger
Washington Post Stiff Writer

United Press International

Zola Horn at Harrisburg court before going to jail.

HARRISBURG, Pa, March just trying to weave elements

3The government intro- of modesty into it.
duced into evidence today two "Why not coordinate with
letters, arributed to the Rev. the one against capitol
ties? . . . To disrupt them,
Philip Berrigan and Sister Eliz- and then grab the Brain Child
abeth McAlister, that attest to (Kissinger) This would be
a plan to kidnap presidential escalation enough."
adviser Henry A. Kissinger.
Father Berrigan, Sister
"It needs much more McAlister and five others are
thought and careful selection charged with conspiracy to
of personnel," Sister Mc- kidnap Kissinger, to bomb
Alister allegedly wrote in an tunnels under federal buildAug. 20, 1970, letter to Father ings in Washington and to
Berrigan about a proposal "to raid federal offices.
kidnapin our terminology Boyd Douglas, the governmake a citizens' arrest of ment's chief witness, who
someone like Henry Kissin- smuggled the letters in and out
ger."
of the prison, testified today
Replying from -his cell at that despite the fact that
Lewisburg, Pa., federal peni- Father Berrigan thought kidtentiary, where he had been naping could not be carried
destruction of Selective Serv- out "without the use of vioice records, Father Berrigan lence," he persisted in accePTallegedly wrote Sister Mc ing the idea as a valid form of
Alister%
protest.
. . The project as you out- "I t o 1 d Philip Berrigan I
lined it is brilliant, but grandi- didn't see how it could be done
ose. I've found with bitter ex- without the use of a gun," said
perience, that when people opt Douglas.' Philip Berrigan
for too much they're either agreed
that it could be loaded
stupid or egotistical . . . NoneSee PLOT, A7, Col. 5
theless, I like the plan and am

THE WASHINGTON POST

Saturday, March 4,1972

U.S. Produces Plot Letters

A7

t it absolutely
Baltimore not to prohibi
completed," sion with the two
be
to observe
ld
ely
wou
mer
ects
is
it
proj
.
.
.
told
PLOT, From Al
priests, he said, he was
precedent,
the
set
has
one
said Douglas, who testified he
that
could go to Tom Davn govwhe
on,
r
with blanks rather than real had been carrying contraband that he
and that late
idson's farm in Maryland to
to this sort
ce
stan
bullets.
resi
ent
letters for Father Berigan
ernm
exple in the use of
"I told Philip Berrigan I was since late April when they "train peo
of thing stiffens, men will be
of plosives."
each
for
ied
gun
a
cop
in
He
.
obta
met
ld
killed."
the
cou
first
I
in
sure
n was named
, after he met the Davidsoctm
a coconas
ent
use in the kidnapping if it was there and
indi
first
the
af
Judge Jails Librarian
FBI June 3, made each .
spirator, but he was dropped
requested of me . . .
e to the FBI
labl
avai
rs
lette
said
ent.
er
second indictm
pt Citation
"Philip Berrigan furth
The two letters introduced in thee FBI, said Douglas, gave On Contem
it would have to be considered today were made public last
loG, Pa. March 3
exp
on
the
BUR
for
uals
RIS
d
HAR
at him Army man
by the people recruite
April when they wereictuals which he said (AP)--A 53-year-old librarian
man
s,
sive
ind
project that a very severe senond
sec
the
to
deroth was jailed for contempt of
tence might be given for such ment , handed down in the- he gave to Father Wen
allegedly copied them for court today when she refused
who
a kidnaping."
.
case
conate in
Douglas testified at letters In the letter Sifter Mc- those who could particip ect. to testify at the federalpriest
proj
ed
acy trial of antiwar
spir
ly sent to the proposed tunnelsabet
and telephone calls continu
ged
alle
ster
Ali
h sent Philip Berrigan and six others
en Sister Eliz
to come to him about the proFather Berrigan she says, "Eq Wh
Father accused of plotting to kidnap
ject from Sister McAlister and, wants to do it well before any- the "kidnap" letter to
ified,
test
ry
the Rev. Joseph Wenderothr one else does it badly & I be- Berrigan, Douglas r to him presidential adviser Hen
another defendant, afte - lieve he has the know how to she enclosed a lette
inger.
Kiss
which advised:
Horn of Turlock, Calif.,
Father Berrigan was transfer- direct such an escapade."
osed is dy- Zoia ed the trial "a black
red froth Lewisburg to Dan- "Eq" is a reference to Eqbal "Boydthe enclit.
call
who
proThe
n
Con
in
mea
i, who also namite and I
bury Federal Prison
ade" was sent to Dauphin
his Ahmad, a Pakistan
3) is something no char
necticut, where he joinednie
ndant in this case. He posal (No. I mean no one, County Prison by U.S. District
defe
a
is
l
Da
.
, and
brother, the Rev
Court Judge R. Dixon Hermanl
is on the staff of the Adlai one
. ."
Berrigan, also imprisoned for- Stevenson Institute for Inter- should know about
and ordered held there unti
r's
inge
Kiss
for
Serv
e
e
ang
ctiv
exch
Sele
destruction of
national Affairs in Chicago. t Indom, according to Sister the trial ends "or until you
tified tha free
ice records.
ap- purge yourself."
er Douglas tes
in McAlister's letter, the kidndeOn the Sunday before Fathrg
Ahmad did continue to beapThe reluctant witness was
of
set
a
ue
isbu
"Iss
Lew
ld
left
wou
igan
ers
Berr
kidn
Philip
volved in the alleged
n of use of the chief reference librarian
atio
outcess
st
e.g.
prie
ds,
the
,
a
man
at
said
5,
t.
glas
Dou
ing project. On Sep
Bucknell University in
tnam, Laos,
ined 22 tasks he wanted the meeting with Father Wender- B52s over N. Viease of politi- at rby Lewisburg in 1970
nea
nformer to either do himself oth and the Rev. Neil Mc- Cambodia, & rele
ent alleges
cal prisoners. Hold him for when the governmhatched.
)r relay to other persons.
Laughlin, another defendant,
cy was
ing which
Sister McAlister, Douglas, Douglas said he asked Father about a week durthe liberal I the conspira
Berrigan was imprisoned at
that time big wigs of
said the Priest told him
Penitentiary at
himalso
- Wenderoth "if he thought
should coordinate "both proj Eqbal could carry out such a would be brought toy & hold the Lewisburg ing a six-year
ssar
kidserv
e,
nece
the
if
tim
and
aped
the
els
kidn
ects"the tunn
plan as kidnaping.
or grand jury affairs out
ence for destroying draft
naping. "Also, Elizabeth Mc"Joseph Wenderoth said, a trial ch an indictment would sent in Maryland.
sh
ngli
Swi
n
Joh
.
He
whi
files
of
could.
Alister and
the yes, be thought heal was the be brought . . .
The government says Mrs.
should be able to recruitglas
told me that Eqb
tense of Horn was acquainted with
pre
no
Dou
is
"
ere
ple,
peo
le
"Th
ry
who
essa
the
nec
most violent one of
e demands being met & he Berrigan and also entertained
said Berrigan told him.
group. He told me that they thes
r this
The priest is also supposed were afraid in a way of Eq. would be releaesd aftewe're some of the other defendants
a word that
with
e
in
tim
d
kille
to have told Douglas to advise
been
and FBI informer Boyd F.
had
if His parents
as opposed to you Douglas Jr. in her home.
lent
-vio
non
."
Father Wenderoth to "seeen
illas
guer
Pakistan by
be killed
utility trucks could be stol ., At the outset of the discus- who would let a mankilli
She was cited for contempt
ng."
you can go on
so
...
els
tunn
from the Washington, D.C
the
up
Monday but the judge gave
ing
on
blow
sion of
In his alleged reply, Father her until today to change her
had
he
area" for the two-day project
said
glas
Dou
,
July
in
plan
com"He told me he was count- told Father Berrigan and oth- Berrigan warns that theder.
... mind. When she didn't he
in "opens the door to mur it is mitted her to jail.
ing on me, when I was reert
exp
an
was
he
that
ers
When I refer to murder
leased from the federal penie explosives. At the Sept. 5 sestentiary, to make sure thes