SECURITY - US AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (AID)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M01082A000100280006-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 30, 2004
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: October 31, 1974
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 2004/04/01 : CIA-RDP80Mb1082A0 9 0100280 6-9
SECOM-D-10
31 October 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Security - US Agency for International Development (AID)
tober 19741 CIA/OS, referred to
29 O
c
1. On
ssible security problem received
f
a po
Se~urity Committee a paotice o
from Mr. James Mathews, Security Officer, USAID, (9) 235-9727.
2. I called Mathews who is a former Security Officer with
Department of State and is now Chief, Physical Security Division,
USAID. He informed that on about 20 September 1974, the
September 1974 report of the USIB Economic Intelligence Committee
titled, "Aid and Trade Activities of Communist Countries in Less
Developed Areas of the Free World, " classified SECRET, had been
sent in an unclassified pouch to 13 overseas USAID posts. He said
that a potential for a security problem exists in view of the fact
that unclassified mail is opened and handled by foreign local-hire
personnel at AID overseas posts?
3. Mr. Mathews reported the following corrective actions
already taken by him:
(a) Rearrangement of handling of classified mail
at AID headquarters so that only appropriately cleared
personnel have access to classified mail and are re-
sponsible for correct wrapping and pouching. Formerly,
both classified and unclassified materials were prepared
in the same area bythe same people.
(b) An alert had been sent via State Department
communications to State Regional Security Officers at
all foreign locations requesting them to intercept the
pouch containing the classified material before it was
opened and take appropriate steps to retrieve the classified
material. A report by the RSO was requested.
25X1
25X1
Approved For Release 26 6 b /6'11: I I UFWM01082A000100280006-9
 Approved For Release 2004/04/01 : CIA-RDP80M0l082A000100280006-9
4. The Chairman, Economic Intelligence Committee, was
informed of the situation on 30 October 1974. He said that overseas
distribution of the publication was appropriate and had been successfully
accomplished by AID over previous years. He had heard of no previous
security error. It was his opinion that no damage would result to
intelligence sources and methods if the publication was handled and
viewed by foreign AID employees. He did not feel the same way
about complete loss or unauthorized duplication of the material by
foreign personnel. The Chairman was informed that he would be
told of new developments.
5. From information provided by Mr. Mathews, this appears
to be a case of human error by personnel who have previously dis-
played appropriate caution and care in the handling of classified
material. The corrective action taken by Mr. Mathews at AID
headquarters should reduce the potential for any repetition of the
incident. The notification and requested actions sent to the field
security officers appears appropriate and hopefully should preclude
unauthorized; access to the material. Mr. Mathews' assurance
that we will be informed of results of field security officers actions
should permit a final determination whether follow-up action is
required.
6. There appears to be no further action for the Security
Committee at this time. We will call Mr. Mathews in mid-November
unless we have already heard from him.
25X1
Executive Secretary, Security Committee
Dist: 31 Oct 74
1 - D/OS
1 - Chairman, EIC
1 - USIB/S
1 - Secom Chron
1 - IC Reg
Approved For Release 2004/04/01 : CIA-RDP80M0l082A000100280006-9
CONFIDENTIAL