ARMY TESTED GERMS ON PUBLIC IN '64

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00806R000201000005-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: December 5, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/23: CIA-RD
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CHICAGO TRIBUNE
5 December 1984
P90-00806 R000201000005-3
Anny tested genns on public
From CPr eap, T r. r.e Mves
WASHINGTON-Passengers at
Washington's National Airport and
a city bus terminal were secretly
sprayed with bacteria by Army
agents to test how enemy forces
might start a smallpox epidemic,
according to newly released docu-
ments.
The experiments were carried out
in 1964-65 and also may have in-
cluded bus terminals in Chicago
and San Francisco, according to a
heavily censored document released
to the Church of Scientology under
the Freedom of Information 'Act
and made public Monday.
Army Special Operations agents
used aerosol-like blowers concealed
in specially built suitcases to spray
the bacte-:a-bacillus subtilis var.
niger-in the north departure build-
ing of National Airport and a
Grevhound bus terminal. the docu-
ment said.
THE ARMY has described that
bacteria as harmless, but Sylvia
Stanard, a Scientology official, said
"the bacteria have been found to
cause symptoms of respiratory in-
fections as well as blood and food
poisoning."
The document also reproduced
Army photographs, taken surrepti-
tiously, of several agents with their
fake luggage wandering among
passengers.
The church, which has exposed
revtous Army and ex
riments t oue ee om o or-
mation reouests forwarded the
.findings to n. James er [D.,
Document 7 estimated that the
spraying of outgoing airline and bus
passengers with a highly contagious
disease, such as smallpox, -would
have far-reaching effects.
The document says the Army esti-
mated that "infected passengers"
in the tests would carry the bacte-
ria to more than 200 cities. New
York, Washington, Boston, Chicago
and Los Angeles would have the
highest incidence of infection.
The document is not clear--or
details have been deleted-on.
whether experiments were actually
carried out in' Chicago and San
Francisco.
STARTING IN 1952, Ft. Detrick
also c ith--the CIA-in
exoicc ex erimen s~ on Americans
and some Canadians to covertly
disorient or incapacitate enemy
agen or Groups wif if di-tigs_or hyp-
nosis.
In one CIA experiment. an Army
ogist became deranged and
committee suicide in 1953 after
drinking a glass of liquor la-c-e-d with
LSD at an agency-arranged recep-.
tion. ,
T He- government eventually ad-
mitted liability and belatedly gran-
ted his wife $750,000 compensation.
ITenn.1.
Esser has raised questions about'
'current ' expansion plans for the
'Dugway Proving Ground in Utah
where defenses against' chemical
-and biological warfare are studied.
LAST MONTH, Defense Secretary
Caspar Weinberger sent a letter to.
passer stating the U.S. does not
engage in any biological or toxin
weapons development.
The U.S. and the Soviet Union
'signed' a treaty in 1972 banning
biological weapons, but research on
both sides continues.
.The experiments in Washington;
were carried out under the auspices,
of the Army Biological Laboratories,
at Ft. Detrick, hid. Despite dele-
tions, many details of the operation
are included in "Miscellaneous Pub-
lication 7," which was stamped "se-
cret.
A SOURCE AT Dugway said the
document is authentic although
parts are still classified. There was
no Peiltagon comment.
in
TbA
STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/23: CIA-RDP90-00806R000201000005-3