Secord Denies Profitting From Irangate

WASHINGTON--The Iran-Contra hearings turned combative yesterday with leadoff witness Richard V. Secord snapping, "I didn't come here voluntarily to be badgered," as he was peppered with questions about profiteering in secret arms sales to Iran and to Nicaraguan rebels.

The nationally broadcast House-Senate inquiry, in its third day, was transformed from a relaxed proceeding to a confrontational session when Senate chief counsel Arthur I. Liman and committee members pressed Secord repeatedly on his financial interest in the deals. Secord insisted he did not profit.

Secord also echoed statements he made Wednesday about White House involvement, saying, "It was my belief that the President of the United States was well aware of what we were doing."

However, President Reagan reiterated that he was unaware of any covert airlift of arms to Nicaraguan rebels.

Secord testified on Wednesday that fired White House national security aide Lt. Col. Oliver North told him the President knew of the diversion of Iran arms sales money for that purpose.

"Then he was misinformed," Reagan said.

"I did not know about it and I did not know, and I am still waiting to know where did that money go," the President said in response to questions from reporters during a White House ceremony.

Reagan said he knew that Secord, "as a private citizen, was engaged with other private citizens in trying to get aid to the Contras."

But, Reagan said there was nothing illegal in that, and he added, concerning citizens who wanted to make such efforts, "I'm very pleased that American people felt that way."

Under questioning on Capitol Hill, Secord said yesterday he was skeptical about the truth of a North comment he had quoted on Wednesday, to the effect that North had told Reagan it was ironic that Iranian money was going to the Contras.

While saying he had no way of knowing whether North had really made that remark to Reagan, Secord said, "It doesn't sound like the kind of story one would hear in the office of the commander-in-chief."

Secord said yesterday that North once joked that if the secret Contra supply activities were revealed, he--North--would be pardoned.

"I laughed at him [North] and I said, `That's ridiculous. What are you talking about?...No laws are being broken. We're doing everything we can to live within the law,' " Secord said.

But Sen. David L. Boren (D-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, pointedly asked Secord about a private citizen carrying out foreign policy activities, especially seeking contacts with Iranian officials.

"We're in the bicentennial year of the Constitution," Boren said. "Do you think it's appropriate that important foreign policy decisions of this country should be made by Mr. Richard Secord, private citizen, instead of by the Congress of the United States, the secretary of state and the President of the United States?"

Secord replied, "I must tell you, sir, that I was doing the best I could under the circumstances. And I thought I was carrying out the President's policy."