CABLE (Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP77M00144R000400050050-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 2001
• Sequence Number: 50
• Publication Date: October 11, 1975
• Content Type: CABLE

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1? WASHINGTON POST FRONT PAGE ARTICLE 11~OCTOBER 1975 BILL
RICHARDS BYLINE HEADLINED ^CIA PLOTTED POISONING OF LUMUMBA^
SUMMARIZED AS FOLLOWS {NOTE DIRECT QUOTES}~ "A FORMER TOP CIA
SCIEN'T'IST HAS TESTIFIED THAT THE AGENCY PREPARED AND SENT TO THE CONGO
A DOSE OF LETHAL POISON INTENDED FOR USE IN AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
AGAINST FORMER CONGOLESE PREMIER PATRICE LUMUMBA IN 1961?" UNNAMED.
SOURCES SAIA SIDNEY G 0 T T L I E B, RETIRED FORMER HEAD 4F CIA
TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION, HAD TESTIFIED TO SENATE INTELLIGENCE
.. COMMITTEE THAT HE DESTROYED DRUG TESTING RECORDS IN 1972 AS ORDERED
SY FORMER DIRECTOR RICHARD~HELMS? .HELMS HAD TESTIFIED EARLIER
BEFORE ROCKEFELLER COMMISSION THAT HE DID NOT GIVE OR RECALL HAVING
GIVEN SlJCH AN OftDER? GOTTLIEB, WHO TESTIFIED TWICE BEFORE CLOSED
SESSION, TOOK FIFTH AMENDMENT EARLIER BUT FINALLY TESTIFIED ABOUT
THE DRUG RECORDS DES~3TRUCTION WHEN GIVEN LIMITED OR ",USE" IMMUNITY
FROM PROSECUTION. GOTTLIEB ALSO FURTHER TE5TIFYING BEFORE SENATE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH WHICH I5 ZNVESTTGATING ARMY/CIA DRUG TESTING
PROGRAMS. ','
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2? GOTTLIEB TESTIFIED POISON INTENDED FOR LUMUMBAIPCAME FROM
.AGENCY'S STOCKPILE "... AND {WAS} SENT TO A C1A AGENT IN THE CONGO
NOW KNOWN AS ZAIRE FOR. USE AGAINST LUMUMBA?" POISON PLAN WAS NEVER
USED AS LUMUMBA WAS KILLED BY UNKNOWN AS~ASS~NS IN KATANGA PROVINCE.
JUST FEW~DAYS BEFORE INAUGURATION PRESIDENT KENNEDY JAN 79,7. tn~
1967 GOTTLIEB HEADED CHEMICAL DIVISION WHICH AMONG OTHER THINGS
HANDLED REQUESTS FOR POISON BY AGENTS IN FIELD. HE CONFIRMED A
NUf~BER OF CRITICAL, DETAILS REGARDING EARLIER ALLEGATIONS THAT THE
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WAS INVOLVED IN TRYING TO POISON LUMUMBA. '~
3? GOTTLIEB WAS ONE OF CIA OFFICIALS WHO REJECTED STOCKPILING
TOXINS IN PRIVATE WAREHOUSE IN BALTIMORE. IN DEFIANCE OF PRESIDENTIAL
ORDERS. -MOST OF POISON~EVENTUALLY DESTROYED ALTHOUGH ABOUT 116
GRAMS SHELL FISH TOXIN AND COBRA VENOM RETAINED BY ARMY OFFICERS
AND RETURNED TO CIA CHEE~MICAL DIVISION~IN 19?D? ROCKEFELLER
COMMISSION SOURCES dSAID THAT ITS EFFORTS T4 VERIF,Y FACTS MADE ~~[~?
~,
~aBS?EfDL:DDQ?Gi?3&G~DIFFICULT BECAUSE GOTTLIEB WAS T~2AVELING ABROAD AND
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UNAfILADLE FOR TESTIMONY AND BECAUSE AGENCY REC RDS ON DRUGS HAD ~
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BEEN DESTROYED. M
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4. GOTTLIEB SCHEDULED .TO TESTIFY FURTHER OPJ DRUG EXPERIMENTA-
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