LETTER TO HONORABLE BIRCH BAYH FROM STANSFIELD TURNER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85-00821R000100070005-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 30, 2002
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: May 24, 1978
• Content Type: LETTER

The D,redor
Approved For Releas&!2O0121f 29 ' A'-RDP85-00821 R0001 00070005-4
Honorable Birch Bayh, Chairman
Select Committee on Intelligence
United States Senate
Washington, D. C. 20510
OLC 78-0582
4 MAY, 1jid
flEf4 u T 44V
a
Late last year, Senator Inouye inquired (Q#992, 15 December 1977)
about "originals" of certain listed documents that had not been located.
He requested that an attempt-be made to determine where such "originals"
might now repose. This matter has been discussed with Mr. Michael
Epstein, of your staff, and this letter constitutes a formal reply for the
record. Specific responses concerning the documents mentioned by
Senator Inouye are enclosed; they correspond to the paragraphs in the
enclosure to Senator Inouye's inquiry.
Under procedures ~instituted.pursuant to Executive Order 11652
and predecessor regulations, recipient departments or agencies are
responsible for the protection of classified documents after receiving
them. The volume of sensitive documents exchanged throughout the
Executive Branch makes this a practical necessity. Secret level
documents can be destroyed without the originator being informed, and
without record of the destruction. Top Secret documents are signed
for upon receipt by the addressee department or agency, and are
handled in accordance with Top Secret control procedures. Addressees
are not required to inform the originator when,and if such a document
is destroyed. It is, however, the addressee's responsibility to maintain
a record of the document's disposition.
Section 1-604 of Executive Order 12036 contains implementing
instructions for the DCI's statutory responsibility to protect intelligence
sources and methods. Except for the Office of the DCI and CIA, this
section limits the Director's authority to "Providing policy, guidance,
and technical assistance to departments and agencies regarding protection
of intelligence information... " Thus I have no authority to pursue the
unaccountability of documents listed in Sections I, II, and X of the
enclosure to Senator Inouye's letter. Sections III through TX, however,
deal with unaccountable CIA documents. I have asked my Security
Committee, including representatives of major Community components,
to inquire into this matter. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Yours sincerely,
STANSFIELD TURNER
DOWNGRAD o el U C P, IFi~I~5{ HECIA-RDP85-008218000100070005
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