About $8.6 million of the money left over after the arms were bought was sent to the Nicaraguan rebels, the sources said.

Administration officials vowed to cut off arms they said were being sent from Nicaragua to the Salvadoran rebels.

Many of the Western governments, including the United States, are sending food directly to the rebels, although in smaller quantities.

This occurred in early 1985, when the Administration was barred from sending aid of any sort to the rebels.

Let us say, though, that we can dig into our stretched budget and send large amounts of arms to the rebels.

Although a number of the inhabitants in Exeter sent a message of support to the rebels, the city refused to open its gates.

That report said Captain Compaore had sent fuel to the rebels and received "substantial contributions" for his political campaigns.

From those countries, he said, Renamo supporters send radio messages to the rebels inside Mozambique.

President Ortega has conceded in the past that Nicaragua sent weapons to the rebels in 1980 and 1981.

By 1777, over five million livres of aid had been sent to the American rebels.