LETTER TO THE HONORABLE GRIFFIN BELL FROM RICHARD G. STILWELL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R001400100077-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 3, 2004
• Sequence Number: 77
• Publication Date: August 10, 1978
• Content Type: LETTER

McLEAN OFFICE BUILDING
67234f0i~I~ifoI~~YA~#J~I~Zi~
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA 22101
PHONE [phone]
The Honorable Griffin Bell
Attorney General
The Department of Justice
Washington, D. C. 20530
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Intelligence
Officers
10 August 1978
fOLc*7&#O-I
Dear Mr. Attorney General:
Out of the ashes of the defunct ' Counter Spy_ Maaas3ne another per-
iodical has risen with the same avowed purpose of destroying the intel-
ligence capability of this nation. 'This new publication is entitled
Covert Ac ti on ' Information Bulletin and its first issue was distributed
in July 1978. A copy of this issue is enclosed. Heading the list of
supporters and contributors is. Philip Agee, the first and only defector
from the ranks of the Central Intelligence Agency known to have enlisted.
in the cause of international communism. He is thus a traitor.
The backers say in this issue, "We are confident that there will., be
sufficient subscribers to make this publication a permanent weapon in
the fight a.ga~.'.nst the CIA, the FBI, military intellligence.... " They
then continue; "we will never stop exposing CIA personnel and opera-
tions whenever and wherever we find them." They proclaim a regular
feature, "Naming names", in which "we will continue to expose high-
ranking CIA officials". They proceed to identify, in full detail, the
CIA Chief of Station in Jamaica.
The members of this Association are deeply concerned with this
group's disregard for law. The effectiveness of U.S. intelligence can
be seriously damaged when U.S. intelligence officers under cover are
identified; and there is a clear and present danger of bodily ha= and
perhaps death to the officers so identified. Moreover, anxiety and.
fear -- beyond measure -- are placed on the wives and families of all
such. officers serving in far-flung areas of the world.
In our view, there is reason to believe that crimes have been com-
rai.tted and will continue to be committed by the group sponsoring Covert
Action. in pursuit of its objectives. Is there not incitement to viola-
tion of law in the calls for assistance in the pages of this piiolica
tion? We urge you, as the nation's top law enforcement officer, to
investigate and take appropriate action to protect U.S. intelligence
and to safeguard the lives of our dedicated intelligence officers. We
consider this a serious and urgVflt problem and, we call upon you to
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ORIGINALLY CHARTERED AS ASSOCIATION OF RETIFIED INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS
 Approved For Release 2004/12/22 : CIA-RDP81 M00980R001400100077-2
review this matter most carefully.
While fully conscious of 1st Amendment constraints, perhaps care-
fully drawn civil actions could be filed in the courts to prevent dam-
age and danger. Surely, under our laws there must be a way for the U.S.
Government to protect itself from these assaults on the intelligence
community and to prevent these threats to the safety of our officers
and their families.
I would appreciate an expression of your views that 'I may trans-
mit to our membership,
Sincerely yours,
Stil*ell
Gene' dl USA (Ret.)
Presi4ut, AF'IO
cc: Senator Bayh
Congressman Boland
RGS:sgb
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 6~3~4v% PR* E2( 4If@/2Q3FCI4- 9N'QQ@$DR00140010
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PHONE (703) 790 J Intelligence
-0320 1
Officers
11 August 1978
The Honorable Robert Morgan
1251 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Morgan:
This Association is deeply concerned by ,the emergence of
Covert Action Information Bulletin, copy enclosed. Its stated
purposes are to expose CIA operations and identify publicly
CIA personnel under cover. The clear aim is'to destroy the
CIA and the FBI and, in the process, jeopardize the lives of
intelligence personnel. This publication is under the aegis
of a group headed by Philip Agee, a former CIA employee, a
defector to international communism, and thus a traitor. We
believe this group's despicable activities constitute a clear
and.present danger for which there should be a remedy under
law.
The U.S. government should not supine in face of threats
of this genre. We enclose for your information a copy of our
letter to the Attorney General requesting that he take appro-
priate action and inform us. Frankly, we doubt that strong,
positive action can be taken and consequently are bringing
this matter to your attention. The responsibilities of
Congress encompass not only-establishing statutory charters
for U.S. intelligence; they also include the duty -to make
intelligence effective.
Appropriate laws would assist in protecting the lives of
our dedicated intelligence officers who are on the firing line
as our first line of national defense. In the course of the
study of remedial legislation, investigative subpoenas by the
Congress might well bring to light useful information.
I would appreciate learning from you what steps might be
taken by the Congress in this direction so that I could inform
our thousands of members.
Sincerely,
Richard G. Stilwell
General USA (Ret.)
President, AFIO
Enclosures.
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ORIGINALLY CHARTERED AS ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS
 or Release 2004/12/22: CIA-RDP81 M0098OR0014001 00077 2
Remarks:
ACTION
IN
DATE
INITIAL
1
DCI
2
DDCI
3
DD/RM
4
DD/NFA
5
DD/CT
6
DD/A
7
DD/O
8
DD/S&T
9
GC
10
LC
11
IG
12
Compt
33
D/PA
F
14
D/EEO
15
D/Pers
16
AO/DCI
17
C/IPS
18
19
20
21
22
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT (O/DCI)
Routing Slip
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