HPSCI "DISCOVERY" OF THE ARMY S INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT ACTIVITY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00914R000700040105-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 17, 2007
• Sequence Number: 105
• Publication Date: February 10, 1982
• Content Type: LETTER

11 SPEED"LETTER HPSCI"Discovery" of the Army's Intelligence Support Activity '(ISA)
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DATE
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REPLY REQUESTED
10 February 1982
EED LETTER
LETTER No.
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TO : DDO FROM:
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Subject: HPSCI "Discovery" of the Army's Intelligence Support Activity (ISA)
1. I have been told by DIA and ACSI that HPSCI is very upset with the Army for
trying to prevent Congressional oversight of ISA. HPSCI claims to have learned about
ISA from the public and other indiscretions of "Bo" Gritz who identified ISA as his
point of contact within the Army. HPSCI has summoned Army intelligence to appear on
12 Feb to explain what ISA is all about and why the Subcommittee was never officially
briefed on its establishment, mission, funding, management arrangements, etc. The
Gritz affair has left HPSCI staff members with the impression that ISA has also failed
to obtain appropriate approvals for its activities, such as supporting the Gritz POW
collection operation in Southeast Asia without telling DIA or us until several.months
after the fact.
2. As you will recall, Ed Thompson advised us in March 1981 that ISA had been
created. We agreed to his request for a direct liaison channel between us and ISA.
Subsequently, we have coordinated and supported several ISA operations including the
abortive effort to obtain a The Agency has also provided training
and technical support to ISA. t s and to believe that HPSCI was not informed or
aware of ISA until the recent Boston Globe article on Gritz. After all, ISA personnel
briefed HPSCI and the SSCI on the
SIGNATURE
REPLY
DATE .
3. It is conceivable that the Army will tell HPSCI that ISA was established
with the approval of the Agency. The fact is that the Agency does not become
involved in the organizational aspects of intelligence arrangements within the
military. Our charter stops at insisting that clandestine collection and foreign
liaison (by whatever intelligence element of the military) be coordinated in accord-
ance with the E.O. and other authorities.
4. DIA and ACSI cautioned me again to be on the alert for attempts by ISA and
ISA contacts on the operations staff of the Arm to obtain Agency support or intel-
ligence coordination through their liaison wit I assured them that0 has
taken initiatives to prevent this and to keep PCS informed
VIE
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SIGNATURE
RETURN TO ORIGINATOR
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Approved For Release 2007/01/17: CIA-RDR83MOO914R0007000401.05-9