JFK Case: MEMORANDUM: SUBJECT - SPECIAL ACTIVITIES

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00563284
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 29, 2017
• Case Number: F-2016-00788
• Publication Date: June 1, 1973

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1 June 1973
MEMORANDUM FOR: Mr. William E. Colby
SUBJECT: � Special Activities
1. Following our recent conversation, I have
searched my memory and Mr. McCone's files for examples
of activities which to hostile observers or to someone
without complete knowledge and with a special kind of
motivation could be interpreted as examples of activities
exceeding CIA's charter.
2. First, as we discussed, on 7 March 1962,
DCI McCone, under pressure from Attorney General Robert
F. Kennedy, agreed to tap the telephones of columnists
Robert S. Allen and Paul Scott in an effort to identify
their sources for classified information which was appear-
ing in their columns. Because the primary source appeared
to be in the Department of Defense, McCone ordered me
personally to brief General Joe Carroll, Director of DIA,
orally, which I did. I understand more complete information
on this operation, is available from the Director of Security.
I, personally, managed to avoid gaining any knowledge of
what precise actions were taken, what information was gained,
what was done with it, and when the operation was terminated.
3.
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4. Although certain activities never got beyond
the planning stage, there are, I believe, three examples
of such planning which could be subject to misinterpretation.
One involved chemical warfare operations
A second involved
paramilitary strike against
Outside the United States Government, General
Eisenhower was briefed on such planning. A third, which
assumes a new significance today, involved a proposal by
Angleton and Helms for a greatly increased intelligence
collection effort against foreign installations in this
country. This planning also involved a scheme for selected
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exposure of KGB activities and counteractions against the
Soviet intelligence service. The reasons are still unclear
to me as to why the FBI chose to brief the PFIAB to the (b)(1)
effect that CIA was planning (b)(3)
to greatly increase
the Agency representation in the Moscow Embassy, and
generally to use KGB-type tactics, also extensively and (b)(1)
indiscriminately. This led to a heated exchange between
DCI McCone and Mr. Belmont of the FBI, one such meeting (b)(3)
taking place in the presence of the Attorney General.
It is clear that the FBI was opposed to any such proposal
then, as now, and the plan never went forward.
5. During the period when Des FitzGerald was in
charge of the Cuban Task Force, DCI McCone.'s office
learned, quite by accident, that FitzGerald had secured
the cooperation of several prominent US business firms
in denying economic items to Cuba. There was no question
but that the businessmen were glad to cooperate, but know-
ledge of this operation had to be rather widespread.
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8. There are three examples of using Agency
funds which I know to be controversial. One was the
expenditure of money under Project MOSES in securing
the release of Cuban Brigade prisoners. Details of
this operation are best known to Larry Houston, Mike
Miskoysky, .GeorgOTMcManus, and James Smith. Second,
as you well know, when Lou Conein received his summons
to report to the Joint General Staff Headquarters on
1 November 1963 a large amount of cash went with him.
My impression is that the accounting for this and its
use has never been very frank or complete. Third, at
one of the early Special Group meetings attended by
McCone he took strong exception to proposals to spend
Agency funds to improve the economic viability of West
Berlin, and for an investment program in Mali. His
general position was that such expenditures were not
within the Agency's charter, and that he would allow
such spending only on the direct personal request of
the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Defense, or
the White House.
(b)(1)
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10. Under the heading of old business, I know that
any one who has worked in the Director's office has worried
about the fact that conversations within the offices and
over the telephones were transcribed. During McCone's
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tenure, there were microphones in his regular office,
his inner office, his dining room, his office in East
Building, and his study at his residence on White Haven
Street. I do not know who would be willing to raise such
an issue, but knowledge of such operations tends to
spread, and certainly the Agency is vulnerable on this
score.
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