Freedom House denies CIA, terror ties.(A)(World)

Byline: Betsy Pisik

NEW YORK - Human rights watchdog Freedom House will defend itself today against charges by members of a U.N. committee that it is a tool of the CIA and hires terrorists.

Freedom House has been trying to renew its U.N. accreditation before the nongovernmental organizations (NGO) credentials committee of the U.N. Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc). But committee members Sudan, China and Cuba - governments that have been criticized harshly by the Washington-based organization - have challenged the application.

"The complaints are largely political," said Freedom House spokesman Michael Goldfarb. "They run from illegitimate to baseless."

…