News In Brief

CIA chief faces questions on anti-Sandinist funding

Congressional intelligence committees said Wednesday they will question CIA Director William Casey about reports that his agency overspent its $24 million 1984 budget for anti-Sandinist rebels in Nicaragua.

Based on data generated by committee staffs, members and aides said questions have arisen about whether the Central Intelligency Agency violated a strict spending limit imposed by Congress last year.

''I don't think anyone has accused the CIA of deliberately exceeding that amount'' but there are questions about whether the CIA may have overspent ''inadvertently or negligently,'' said Michael O'Neill, legal counsel of the House committee.