News In Brief

Ortega charges CIA plot against Nicaragua's leaders

Sandinista intelligence has learned of a plan by the United States Central Intelligence Agency to assassinate one or more of the nine members of the Sandinista front's National Directorate, Nicaraguan chief of state Daniel Ortega Saavedra said in an interview.

In a story in Sunday editions of the Washington Post, Mr. Ortega said that the intelligence information was ''strong''; that the killing was to take place before elections in Nicaragua Nov. 4; and that the Sandinistas did not know which of the nine leaders had been targeted.

The Nicaraguan chief of state said that the CIA intended the assassination to appear to be the work of other members of the Sandinista directorate.

No one was available for comment at the CIA.