Two days ago, just before Uganda's first multiparty elections in 20 years, Ugandan police arrested Peter Waldron, a 59-year old U.S. citizen from Wyoming, was arrested In the Kisugu suburb of Kampala along with three Ugandan nationals and a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Waldron had a business card that identified him as founder of City of Faith Ministries, Inc. and an adviser to an organization called Contact America Group. Waldron was also identified as a freelance journalist, a photographer, and a correspondent for a newsletter called The Africa Dispatch. Waldron had billed himself in an interview with The New Republic as a preacher and information technology consultant. Waldron told the magazine that he was a former member of the U.S. military who became a missionary. He also claimed he was a radio talk show host, Republican Party campaign adviser, and GOP lobbyist. Waldron had worked with the Ugandan Health Ministry since 2002.

However, Waldron was also caught in Kampala with four assault rifles and 180 rounds of ammunition. Waldron's publisher was noticed seated in the Ugandan High Court during the show trial of Uganda's opposition leader, Col. Kizza Besigye, who is giving Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni -- a close U.S. ally -- a strong challenge in today's elections.

Waldron was charged with terrorism. A U.S. embassy spokeswoman said she could not reveal any details about Waldron, citing his protections under the "U.S. Government's Privacy Act."

After many years of debate within the U.S. intelligence community about the propriety of using journalists and religious personnel as spies, the Waldron arrest suggests that both are now being used by the "new CIA" without restraint.

On March 7, 1999, three U.S. missionaries were arrested at Harare International Airport while trying to board a Swissair flight for Zurich. The three -- Gary Blanchard, Joseph Pettijohn and John Dixon -- who worked for Harvestfield Ministries, a Pentecostal group based in Indiana, were attempting to smuggle a large cache of weapons out of Zimbabwe. The three had been active in Lubumbashi, in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo's Katanga Province, and were accused of mercenary activities in the diamond- and gold-rich territory. At their trial in Harare, the three mercenaries claimed the 43 handguns, rifles, and other weapons were for "hunting."

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez also recognized the combination of U.S. intelligence and "missionary" activities when he recently ordered the expulsion of the Sanford, Florida-based New Tribes Mission from their bases in the tribal areas of Amazonas, Bolivar, Apure and Delta Amacuro. Chavez said the group was a CIA front for U.S. mining and pharmaceutical interests.

The use by the CIA of religious workers and journalists as spies now puts all legitimate American religious and journalistic activities abroad in severe jeopardy.