Hakim Says He Set Aside $200,000 Fund for North : ‘A Death Benefit’ Plan ‘for Ollie’

WASHINGTON — Iranian-born businessman Albert Hakim told Congress today he set up a $200,000 secret Swiss bank account for the benefit of Lt. Col. Oliver L. North’s family in case anything happened to him in the Iran- contra affair.

Hakim said the account for North was set up about the same time North and former National Security Adviser Robert C. McFarlane went to Tehran to discuss arms deals and the release of American hostages in Lebanon.

The purpose of the account was as a “death benefit for Ollie,” Hakim said.

He called North “an amazing person” who has “two loves--one is country . . . and the other love he has is his family.”

Hakim said he “witnessed him being torn apart between these two loves.”

“I came up with the idea that Ollie (would be) shot” and also came up with the idea to “put the money aside as a death benefit for him.”

Didn’t Tell North

His business partner, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Richard V. Secord, was against setting up an account that would contain $500,000, Hakkim said, but he agreed to $200,000.

“I do not recall ever having told North that I have set money aside for his family’s benefit,” Hakim said.

Hakim said that when he discussed North’s lack of time with his family and North’s concern for his children’s education if the lieutenant colonel was killed, he said, “The way I remarked to him was, ‘Ollie, you are part of the family as long as one of us is alive. You need not worry about the family.’ ”

“I do not recall ever sitting him down and saying, ‘I have set aside $200,000,’ ” Hakim added.

“My intention was only to help,” he added. “I had no other intention.”

Earlier today, Assistant Secretary of State Elliott Abrams came under strong pressure by angry Democrats to resign but said he won’t do it because his boss, George P. Shultz, “seems pretty satisfied with the job I have done for him.”

After Rep. Jack Brooks (D-Tex.) questioned Abrams’ honesty and competence, Abrams shot back:

“Fortunately, I guess I have to say, I don’t work for you. I work for George Shultz.”

Before he left the witness chair, Abrams--described as the Reagan Administration’s point man on Central American policy--was lectured by Rep. Lee H. Hamilton (D-Ind.), chairman of the House Iran- contra committee, and Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), who leads the Senate committee.

“You misled the Congress because you gave Congress information that was not true in some instances,” Hamilton said. “Over a period of time whether intentionally or not, you and your colleagues kept from Congress critical facts about policy.”

‘Someone . . . Not Being Honest’

Inouye said the committees can’t stand many more such days of painful testimony. “I don’t know whether to believe you or Gen. (John K.) Singlaub, whether to believe you or Ambassador (Lewis A.) Tambs,” he said, referring to previous witnesses whose testimony conflicted with Abrams’.

“Someone is not being honest with us,” Inouye said.

Abrams said his denials of U.S. involvement with a private contra-aid network were based on assurances from North, the CIA and others in the Administration.

A lack of confidence in Abrams--and therefore his ability to lead the fight for $105 million in new aid for the contras in Congress this fall--was expressed by at least four Democrats on the committees.

Sen. George J. Mitchell (D-Me.) said Abrams’ ouster was “inexorable and inevitable.”

He told Abrams that he appears to be the Reagan Administration’s “designated fall guy,” but Abrams responded:

“Last night, after this hearing was over, I went back and saw (Shultz) . . . and it is not his view nor is it my view that I’m the fall guy. I am, and plan to be, assistant secretary for inter-American affairs.”