LETTER TO DAVID W. BELIN FROM JEANNE W. DAVIS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 30
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: November 4, 2011
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: May 30, 1975
• Content Type: LETTER

-4 //
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NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
WAmiNGroN. D.C. S MS
ij= S ONLY
ATTACHMENTS
Dear Mr. B*l :
May 30, 1975
I have your letter of May 22 renewing your request for access
to ",all minutes of meetings of the National Security Council, the
Special Group (Augmented) and the predecessors of the Forty
Committee which in any manner whatsoever. relate to any discussions
of plans involving the assassination of Premier Castro of Cuba or
Generalissimo -Trujillo of the Dominican Republic.?
As you know, in response to your original request of April 17,
we conducted a thorough review of the records of the National
Security Cocil an Cuba and the Dominican Republic for the period
you specified, 1960-64. On May 9, 1975, we sent you copies of
items which, however remotely, dealt with domestic intelligence or
assassinatiof. in my letter of May 9 transmitting this material,
I informed you that the question of access to pertinent material
from the records of the Special Group and Special Group (Augmented)
was still urir review.
We have now completed a review of that material, and of records of
the predecessor groups of the Forty Committee, and have identified
certain items relating to assassination. A list of those items is
attached and copies are enclosed. We are continuing our review of
d
FBI, NSS, Review
Completed
prepared concerning the meeting of which we are unaware. I.- ave
L. A.
d c ribed
s
t
h
.
this sensitive material to be sure that nothing has been overlooke
We have noted a recent Associated Press news story to the effect
that the C at fir-, the minutes of an August 10, 1962
meeting and a subsequent memorandum written by Maj. Gen.
Edward G. Lansdale pertaining to the possible assassination of
Premier Castro. We have examined the official minutes of this meeting
available in the NSC? files and find no reference in those minutes to
assassination. It is possible, of course, that other memoranda were
w h
a e
as
no copy of a memorandum from General Lansdale suc
EYES ONLY
ATTACHM (XGDS)
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e
t
unrelated to 0
issues, many of which remain extremely sensitive, requires continued
protection and must be handled on a need-to-know basis. Since the
material is unrelated to the work of the Commission, I am sure you
will understand why we do not believe we can expose this information,
where no such seed-to-know exists.
of the Rockefeller Commission- With regard to the NSC itself, the
records of many meetings were kept in the form of Records of Actions
rather than minutes. These Records of Action, likewise, may cover
many different topics for any one NSC meeting--topics which are
C mmission's activities. The discussion of these
h
vnaimJLte pe
-&-Per- _C +ke o r_4a1 arouvs. In most cases, the records of these
I refire
d rsol access. to the minutes of the meetings of the
t that it will not be possible to grant your request for
arranged will provide you with the resources necessary w--..,r
If you have any further questions concerning the review of these files
for material of concern to the Commission, you may wish to discuss
the matter with Mr. Roderick Hills of the Office of the White House
Counsel.
I assure you that we are. reviewing the records available to the NSC
-very carefully in order to provide you with all information on assassination,
no matter how indirect, contained therein. In addition, as you know, in
a series of letters dated May 21 to officials of the Eisenhower, Kennedy
and Johnson Libraries, in response to your request, we have authorized
access for you or your representative to-materials in those Libraries
on Cuba and the Dominican Republic for the 1959-64 period which pertain
in any way to;do nestic intelligence activities by the CIA or to assassination.
I trust that the material we'are providing from the NSC files and the
access to material in the Presidential Libraries for which we have.
t lete the
important work of the Commission'
David-Wr--BeIin
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Executive Director
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Excerpt from Minutes of Special Group Meeting, 3 November 1960.
Excerpt from Memorandum from Peter Jessup to Mr. Bundy,
18 June 1964, Subj: 11303 Committee Cuban Review".
(We understand that the memorandum referred to in paragraph
6 (b) of t! memorandum has already been made available to the
Commission by CIA. It is not included with the copy in the NSC files. )
Excerpt from Memorandum for the Record, 22 June 1964: SUBJECT:
Minutes of the Meeting of the 303 Committee, 18 June 1964.
Excerpt Memorandum for the Record, 22 June 1964: SUBJECT:
Preliminary Meeting with Attorney General, 19 June 1964.
(The paragraph 7 referred to is that contained in Item 3. The
memorandum to the DCI referred to in paragraph 3 is believed
to be the one referred to in Item 2.
Excerpt from Memorandum for the Record, 31 July 1964: SUBJECT:
Assassinate Cuban Government Leaders"
(The rep t rte$.teAn-paragraph 3 is, we believe, the
Minutes of>the. Meeting of the 303 Committee, 30 July 1964.
Memorandum from DCI McCone to McGeorge Bundy, 19 August 1964,
Subj: Statue of FBI Investigation re plans by Cuban Exiles to
memorandum referred to in Item 2.)
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ME4ORANDUM
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
SECRET EYES ONLY
ATTACHMENTS
May 29, 1975
MEMORANDUM FOR: RODERICIS HILLS
FROM: Jeanne W. Davis
SUBJECT: Redraft of Letter to David Belin
Pursuant to Brent Scowcroft's instructions and my subsequent
coversation with you, I have revised my proposed letter to
David Belin forwarding the additional material on Cuba. I have
been slightly. less categorical in referring to "Fall" the material
in the event the Counsel's office identifies additional material
which you recommend be provided to the Commission.
attached text.
I would appreciate your clearance and/or comments on the
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ATTACHMENTS (f4D5)
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SECRET
PASS PRESIDENT'S PARTY
GENERAL SCOWCROFT
JEANNE W. DAVIS NSC
REDRAFT OF LETTER TO BELIN
. Following your instructions and subsequent conversation
personally reviewing the material.
rather than state directly in the letter that the Counsel's office was
of the Counsel. Hills preferred that we refer Belin to him for questions
the Special. Group material on Cuba to include a reference to the Office
with Rod Hills, we have. redrafted the letter to David Belin enclosing
been slightly less categorical in referring to "all"
the material in the event the review by the Counsel's office identifies
additional material they believe should be forwarded.
The text of the redraft follows, for your approval:
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 5tt"Kt 1
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This Meeeting was a review of the concept of V.S. efforts against Castro.
Mr. Livingston T. Merchant, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs,
and the Department of State's representative on the Special Group asked
whether any planning had been done for taking "direct positive action
against Fidel, Raul jcastro/ and Che Guevara" asserting that the Cuban
Government "would be leaderless and probably brainless" without these
three leaders against whom action would necessarily need to be taken
simultaneously.
General Charles Cabell, Deputy Director of CIA, who was representing
the Agency at the meeting in the absence of the Director, said the
action proposed by Mr. Merchant was "underlain of results and highly
dangerous in conception and execution" and, particularly because of
the necessity of simultaneous action, "it would have to be concluded
that Mr. Merchant's suggestion is beyond our capabilities."
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 -A ., is .4r~
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MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Minutes of Special Group Meeting, 3 November 1960..
PRESENT: Messrs. Merchant, Douglas. Gray, Gen. Cabell,
Gen. Lane dale
Mr. Gray inquired once more as to. the status of planning for
problems Which would arise post-Castro. Mr. Merchant said he
would check into the progress of the State Department group which
has been charged With developing recommendations: on this matter.
From this the Group launched into a far-ranging discussion of
the- entire concept of U. S. efforts against Castro. Mr. Douglas,
supported by Mr.. Gray and Mr. Merchant, expounded the idea that
perhaps things have now progressed to a point where covert activities
of the type origina11v envisaged for CIA to undertake will not be effective.
is actually working on Castro's side. Mr. Merchant said that he
foresaw that there would occur a point in time beyond which covert
-exiles under CIA control. Now the same people are beguwing to ee
more and mom t t.desgite the numerous defections and the economic
deprivations:y the middle and upper classes, time
this could be augmented by the comparatively small-scale efforts of
f l
latter said that he and others in the State Department had oragunally
thought that a popular rebellion would develop within Cuba and that
population in ways which the Communists have developed so well. The
cited the matter of arms from the Soviet bloc, and Mr. Merchant dwelt
on the increasing effectiveness of Castro's measures to control the
Mr. Douglas referred to the extensive program of the militia, Mr. Gray
intervention would not do the job.
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p '~'1: d 11 ~. ar
I WO
real planning has been
Mr. Merchant asked whether any
Finauvo
a
action ag
hat without these three the Cuban Government would He said tinted
brainless. He conceded that it would be
I q rless and-robably eousi Gen. Gabell po
l
an y points
t
to act against all three simv
necessary
out'tha,t action of this kind is cancer ? struments must be Cubans.
is eonceptioa *ad execution, because
~rticularly because of the necessity of simultaneous
H. felt that,
to be concluded that Mr. Merchant's suggestion
? a3,have
action, it
is beyond our capaba1ities.
,,r...y ,?, r. It .I
i1
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 SUM: 303 COMMITEEE CUBAN REVIEW
/ic' 16T
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1. It stems to me zna4 6A&J6iW ...... ____o which might serve
...r
a clearer pictutrc of what forces are at wok taday~r ..r-.---
"'Err embaiass thtt 'tf 'A in the next- 120- days.
e
al keeping track
3. There are other groups of close treresis therFBl~et
_.....,a.x t a:rv for trouble. How
of Frank Fioritli and persanve u& ~...., -
4. We also have these reports of MAFIA plans to perform coup de main the_
eratiOus for cash. Who is keeping track of this? Does the grapevine among.
oP
.emigres keep us tell advised of-all impending adventures? track at one
? 11 kee t
P
5. Apparently the FBI, Customs, CIA, FAA, IN9 Pa
VC ct these agencies with all the
time or another of Cuban matters as they a
attending difficulties of coordination. There must be a certain amount of
porousness in such a diversified bureaucracy.
~- J attached:
6. Pertinent to this discussion are the following papers
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UR t RECORD
MEmoRANDUM F
18 June 1964
ittee
,
of the Meeting of the 303 Comm
? M'nutes
so p
y r. and Mr. Gerald were a
Mans Fitz
discussion was held on problems. arising f r aependented
A general discu roups,
activities es on the part of .organised Cuban emigre g the general edginess
adventurers, purported plots to assassinate Castro and g
SUBJECT.
MrJohnson.
PRESENT' Mr. Bundy', Mr. M,cCone, Mr. Vance, ?
resent.
l
f
l
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emigre or
principal
ee
"""-- -
None of those present appeared do
p ort from the two
radical to sever con -ecttion with of Awithdraw rtimeandpRay*
eatitans, those
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er was discussed on alleged plans which involve the underworld
a
A
p
p
to assassinate certain Cuban leaders. Mr. McCone was somewhat skeptical
ofhhe reported plots and stated that he would like to go into the matter further.
Mr. Bundy, felt that the United States was being put on
cludin
i
s
h
g
n
er
,
Ot
notice and should do everything in its power to ascertain promptly the veracity
of the reports and then undertake prevention. It was decided that Ivir. Bundy
would call the matter to the Attorney. General's attention as a matter of law
..S `xs z~l
Peter Jessup
Mr. Johnson
Mr. Vance
Mr. McCone
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Distribution:
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/(
l_ T-i ....+ ,.. - I . J " .. ..
overall subject of Cuba.
31C6 with the decisions ,.aade in paragraphs 4 and 7
t
MWRANDLR4 FOR TO ORD
avEENCB: Minutes of Meeting of 303 Corttee of 18 June 1964 on
SUBJECT: prelUrsffarp Meeting with Attorney General, 19 June 1964
y
set with the Attorney General for what he Calle a pre
t
1. LU aCC'w
of reference -nninutee, the undersigned, at the direction of Mr. Bundy,
d 1i m4 wr
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SUBJECT: Minutes of the Meeting of the 303 Committee, 30 July 1964
PRESENT: Mr. Bunchy, Mr. Thomas L. Hughes, Mr. Vance, and Mr. McCone..
Mr, Desmond FitzGerald was present for Item I.
Colonel Ralph D. Steakley was present for Item 3.
Ea U,VLL,
MI IORANDUM THE RECORD
1. Cuba
Mr. FitzGerald then addressed himself
said.
once more to the ever present problem of operations by autonomous
groups. While under our cognizance, they are not controlled, he
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25X1
handle as a.>a eter.of law enforcement.
FBI in regard to the earlier report of an alleged ptot wicn rarla over-
tones to asso"inate Castro and which the Attorney General agreed to
Itwas agreed that Mr. FitzGerald would contact Mr. Sam Papich of the
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 r .W
especial S-
National security .6-g airs
Status of FBI Investigation re Plans
by Cuban 1! ilex to Assassinate Cuban
Government Leaders
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19 August 1964
MEMo,tANDUM FOIL: The Honorable 'IcGaorgc Bundy
A igtant to the president for
in TODPOUSO
our infrn,ati
for
i
d
y
s
um
1. This rner:soran
status of the
to a 303 Committee query of 3U July 1964 re;,srding the a sta plans by
Federal Bureau of Investiatian'a inveatiatiori of rep
Cuban exiles to Assassinate Cuban government leadere.
.2. The following is a summary of the investigation to data.
the federal Bureau
reports follow:
Teofilo Tabun Selman specifically denied to~the F131 that
t~ tcd
a plan to a...,assiu
had any involvement in, ci~lsxo~vledJc of, any Cuban government of icial3. Fie admitted contact v;itlt Julio Lobo
C
with hi
Q,lavarrla. but denied diecuEleing the plan wim and atatecl that
Eduardo Garcia h?.olina was preec:nt Burin; the meeting with Lobo and
that Garci*w could verify his statements.
involved in the plot 25X1
Vi ~.....,.--0- In r,-, ONAL;u W.
25X1.
except Byron Cameron. Cameron is now
he may possibly return to 4iarni on 7 August at hie decided the if tltiP:1axa
l
The FBI has
t o
a: ~su
A
total' of sev, wii1'7? rep osta'.rcbarding.tMs matter. summary of these
f its investigation, has disacn inated25X1
l
-
to iintorview laitan xe *ardinr the to
,.ejntervicw all of the people
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d Garcia Maolina advised the FBI that he knew
d
would be a position to participate in plans o ca y
Cuban government officials.
n
g. Iyiaja r a
Department advised the FBI?that he is now in charge of the Field
Operations Division of the St. Louis Police Department and formerly
was connected with the Vice Squad of this department. Doherty stated
that he had no idea as to who would be. involved with the IAafia and who
t rr out executions of
]7oherty of the St. Louis. Missouri, City Police
J h
? had no knowledge of the plan.
f. Geferino Oscar Fernandez Veiga informed the FBI that he
knowledge of the plan.
e Elisco Gomez Fernandez informed the FBI that he had no
o
but later declined. Lobo also
plan with A.
d. Jose M. "Pepin" Bosch informed the FBI that he had
heard of the plan in general terms and that he had reported it to the
CIA. Has denied that he had agreed to furnish funds. for the plan.
Up
him of the pl= and of Byron Cameron. Babun had asked him to con-
tribute funds for the plan and he tentatively agreed to furnish funds.
ld the FBI that he had discussed the
t
Jv~lio Lobo Olavarria advised the FBI that Eabun had told
uar o
D. E
of the plan and that he was present when Babun discussed it with Lobo.
ia,. ? All other people interviewed by the FBI denied knowledge
of the plan.,
.JOIN A. McCQNE
Director
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Jeanne W. Davis
Staff Secretary
(Ext. 3440.1)
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r_ .
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
For clearance and/or comments
and return to me.AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
MEMORANDUM
and have fwd it to contain nothing referring to assassination.
there is a reference to a CIA "variant" plan which is not described. We
do not have. a copy of the Lansdale memorandum. We have included the
reference both as a indirect reminder of our concern over press leaks
and also to reassure Belin that we have reviewed the specific document
May 27, 1975
35'4Q X
Jeanne W. Da '
Reply to Renewed Rockefeller
Commission Staff Request for Access
to NSC Minutes
In a letter of May 22 (Tab B), David Belin has renewed his request
for "access to all minutes of meetings of the National Security Council,
the Special Group, the Special Group (Augmented), and the predecessors
of the Forty-Committee which in any manner whatsoever relate to any
discussions of plans involving the assassination of Premier Castro of
Cuba or Generalissimo Trujillo of the Dominican Republic."
in consultation with Rob Roy Ratliff, I have prepared the proposed reply
to Belin at Tab A, which provides him with copies of the material
Rob Roy hays identified as pertinent from the files of the special groups
but reaffirms our denial of his request for access to the files themselves.
As a small insurance policy against Rob Roy's turning up anything more
in his files, we have told Belin we are continuing our review of the material
to be sure nothing has been overlooked.
In addition, we have noted a recent AP story (Tab C), apparently from
Commissiox-soommem6 which describes the minutes of an August 10, 1962
meeting and a subsequent memo written by General Lansdale pertaining
to the possible assassination of Castro. The official minutes of this
meeting in Rob Roy's files do not refer to assassination in any way, although
SECRET/GES ONLY ATTACHMENTS (XGDS) (continued)
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NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
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ONLY ATTACHMENTS
gi3mn,.the ' g--implications ox Sabo s le er,
.duly ate _our relations with Belin and that the material would
e
ygmputlu new u
:melin that we have done so. Although this is tempting,
* tt I believe it would
p
-the material directly to the Vice President and
d
-4--44.g. rovision of the special material to Belin
, fly ,ed over to him in any event.
1 be made available to the Vice President and my
t r j orciuigly.
SZCUZ SLY ATTACHMENTS (XGDS)
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WASHINGTON, D.C. 2050e
We have now completed a review of that material, and of records of
the predecessor groups of the Forty Committee, and have identified
certain items relating to assassination. A list of those items is
attached and copies are enclosed. We are continuing our review of
this sensitive material to be sure that nothing has been overlooked.
intelligence or assassination. In my letter of May 9 transmitting
this material,. l informed you that the question of access to pertinent
material from the records of the Special Group and Special Group
(Augmented) was still under review.
Generalissimo Trujillo of the Dominican Republic. "
As you know, in response to your original request of April, 17,
we conducted a thorough review of the records of the National
Security Council, on Cuba and the Dominican Republic for the
period you specified, 1960-64. On May 9, 1975, we sent you copies
of all items which, however remotely, dealt with domestic
to "all minutes of meetings of the National Security Council, the
Special Group (Augmented) and the predecessors of the Forty
Committee which in any manner whatsoever relate to any discussions
of plans involving the assassination of Premier Castro of Cuba or
I have your letter of May 22 renewing your request for access
We have noted.a recent Associated Press news story to the effect
t h a t the C O n n i . xapy of the minutes of an August 10, 1962
meeting and a subsequent memorandum written by Maj. Gen.
Edward G. Lansdale pertaining to the possible assassination of
Premier Castro. We have examined the official minutes of this
SECRET:/EYES ONLY
ATTACHMENTS (XGDS)
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 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
SLCRE RYES ONLY
ATTA'c;.MTS-..
the importawt:wa+ k . Cb ispion.
arrang+i; 'pr you with the resources necessary to complete
where no such need-to-know exists.
I assured you that we have reviewed the records available to the NSC
very carefuy and have provided you with all information on
assassination, no matter how indirect, contained therein. In
addition, as you know, in a series of letters dated May 21 to officials
of the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson Libraries, in response to
your request, we have authorized access for you or your representative
to materials in those Libraries on Cuba and the Dominican Republic
for the 1959-b4 period which pertain in any way to domestic intelligence
activities by the CIA or to assassination.
I trust that the material we have provided from the NSC files and the
access, to material in the Presidential Libraries for which we have
wilt understand why we do not believe we can expose this information,
issues,, ray of which remain extremely sensitive, requ~.res continue
protects and must be handled on a need-to-know basis. Since the
material is unrelated to the work of the Commission, I am sure you
many dderent topics for any one NSC meeting--topics which are
unrelated to the Commission's activities. The discussion of these
A
minutes to assassination. We have no copy of a memorandum from
General Lansdale such as that described.
I regret that it will not be possible to grant your request for
unlimit id;.personal access to the minutes of the meetings of the NSC
or of the -special groups. In most cases, the records of these
meetings covered several topics completely unrelated to the concerns
of the Rockefeller Commission. With, regard to the NSC itself, the
records of many meetings were kept in the form of Records. of Actions
rather than minutes. These Records of Action, likewise, may cover
meeting mailable in the NSC files and find no reference in those
Sincerely,
Jeanne W. Davis
Staff Secretary
Mr. David W. Belie
Executive Director
Commission on CIA Activities
Wig the United States
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Washington, D. C. &0500
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COMMISSION ON CIA ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES
Nelson A. Rockefeller,
John T. Connor
C. Douglas Dillon
Erwin N. Griswold
Lane Kirkland
Lyman L. Lemnitzer
Ronald Reagan
Edgar F. Shannon. Jr.
Washington, DC 2x500
Mrs. Jeanne W. Davis
St ff Secretary
May 22, 1975
a
National Security Council
David W. Belin,
Executive Director
We have previously requested that the National Security
Council,give us access to all minutes of meetings of
the Nat4onal Security Council, the Special Group, the
Special Group (Augmented), and the predecessors of the
Forty Comittee which in any manner whatsoever relate
to any discussions of plans involving the assassina-
tion of Premier Castro'of Cuba or Generalissimo Trujillo
of the Dominican Republic. We have received certain
documents from you, but we do not believe these are
necessarily complete and cannot be sure unless we,
ourselves, have access to these files.
I requested such access aedgo,I and ouladvised
me that this request was den
renew this request and ask that the access be pro-
vided no later than May 28., 1975, since, as you know,
the deadline for the submission of the report of this
Washington, D.C. 20506
Dear Mrs. Davis:
Commission is on June 6, 1975.
Sincerely4b) trs
d W. Belin
Executive Director
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 'E n aria" .' of Castro.
11,1d Discuf-iScd m, '62
The Rockefeller commission to ~~ ----l- meeting
obtained minutes of a 1962 of the Aug. t), 1962,
meeting showing that high show it Secret rye fb St ate.
a
,
]Kennedy administration offi- Namar
dais discussed the possible as- Dean Rusk: John A pgcone,
McGeor9 e
f Cuban premier CIA directors and
o
d
.Y, 4
o+ Fidel Castro, according TO Bun
, adviser, for national security
_ One soup who has seen affairs.
stibject The memo was
writtn d the f ? minutes
immcdiatelY sm missed. McNamara assistant Maj? G n.
was
h
memo Edward G. Insdai
a
ces say
one; ~Ic-
sour :glut two
written two days later by Reached by P
ara and Lansdale said
N
am
etary
an assistant to then-gecr of !ense Robea or the rnceet gap Of the i
Del
Namara directing the Central memo
to de- The minutes describe a
nc
up
y
lilmenee Age
lnte velop contingency plans fort meeting of a special gro
yy the possible assassination of gknown oose, which approved all~CIAJ
Fa at,d ["uh.in leader- _ .....h,4+inC against tile!
That memo Was wcinu+ "?"' --- the sourcei rc"ime
-cc - nt L S - said. A fifth member, then-At
t~beiasai d' bseewe
sponsored plots were made torney General Robert F. Ken- i
against Castro's life. nedY, was absent, according to,
. The memo, which dealt with the sources,
variety of subjects. does nwt~
we the word "assnsstnation:'
.... ? an,irre who had
But the so
memo clearly provided a
tih tuthar-
hor
con
~ for drawing up
an assa
f
rn
i
or
plans
heclined
d
The sources, w
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
peen it, relying instean on
snare general terms such as
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
WASHINGTON. D.C. XOM
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
Dear Mr. Belie:
I have your letter of May 22 rene
to "all minutes of meetings of the
Special Group (Augmented) and th
Committee which in any manner
of plans involving the assas sina
Generalissimo Trujillo of the v
As you knew, in response to yo
we conducted a thorough review
Security Council on Cuba and t
period,you specified, 1960-64.
of,l , items which, however re
intelligence or assassination.
this material, I informed you
materi from the records of
(Augmented) was still under r
-We have now completed a revi
the predecessor groups of the
certain items relating to assn
g your request for access
ational Security Council, the
predecessors of the Forty
hatsoever relate to any discussions
a of Premier Castro of Cuba or
minicar Republic. "
original request of April IT,
of the records of the National
Dominican Republic for the
On May 9, 1975, we sent you copies
otely, dealt with domestic
In my letter of May 9 transmitting
hat the question of access to pertinent
e Special Group and Special Group
view.
w of that material, and of records of
orty Committee, and have identified
sination. A list of those items is .
attached and conies are enclosed. We are continuing our review of
We harww ass wen' ?as t Assoc' ted Press news story to the effect
62
this sensitive immaterial to be s re mat notaing nas oenu
Premier Castro. We have exa fined the official minutes of this
Edward G. Lansdale pertaining to the possible assassination of
ameeting and a subsequent mem randum wxitten by Maj. Gen.
that thr "'Co iubus ~o of the minutes of an August 10, 19
SECRET/EYE'S ONLY
ATTACIMENTS (XGDS)
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 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
Sl 'GR /DYES ONLY
~- ~~ r
ATTA["`B'lurr.1 gs ". r t'C' A 9-tAr _.T .. " '` r..
meetiing,available in the NS/ files and find no reference in those
will understand why we do
where no such need-to-kno
I assure you that we 4mwer--
very carefullye P
assassination, no matter
addition, as you know, i
of the Eisenhower, Kenn
extremely sensitive, requires continued
d on a need-to-know basis. Since the
ork of the Commission, I am sure you
of believe we can expose this information,
exists.
ith regard to the NSC itself, the
.ept in the form of Records of Actions
ords of Action, likewise, may cover
the records available to the NSC
ovide you with all information on
iow direct, contained therein. In
a series of letters dated May 21 to officials
dy and Johnson Libraries, in response to
your request, we have a 'thorized access for you or your representative
to materials in those Li caries on Cuba and the Dominican Republic
minutes to assassination./ We have no copy of a memorandum from
General Lansdale such as that described.
I regret that it will not be possible td, rant your request for
unlimited personal access to the minutes of the meetings of the NSC
or of the special groups. In most cases, the records of these
meetings covered several topics completely unrelated to the concerns
unrelated to the Commission') activities. The discussion of these
many different topics for any o~e NSC meeting- topics which are
of the Rockefeller Commission.
records of many meetings were
protection and must be hand)
,f material is unrelated to the
for the 1959-64 period which pertain in any way to domestic intelligence
! ' rr~ art4v4+4As by thA CAA or to assassination.
4J
I trust that the material bve zhav 0I*Fd from the NSC files and the
access to material in the Presidential Libraries for which we have
arranged will provide you with the resources necessary to complete
the t~ncn~nissi,on.
Sincerely,
Staff Secretary
. Within the United States
Washington, D. C. 20500
o\ ~ - Commisoka on CIA Activities
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 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
SECRET[
'LIST OF ENCLOSURES
G
~
1
4l
760
)cc
Excerpt from Memorandum from Peter Jessup to Mr. Bundy,
18 June 1964, Subj: "303 Committee Cuban Review".
(The a 1046ftuduM referred to in pare raph 6 (b) of this memorandum
is not scluded with the copy in the N1C files.)
..-.
Minutes of. the Meeting of the 303 7ommittee, 1
Excerpt from Memorandum for the Atecord, 22 June 1964: SUBJECT:
1964
8 3
.
un
9
preliminary Meeting with Attorney General,
25X1
Excerpt from Memorandum for Lhe Record, 22 June 1964: SUBJECT:
+
e 1964
J
1
- memorandum to the DCI refer ed to in paragraph 3 is believed to be
(The-paragraph 7 referred to i that, contained in Item, 3. The
the one referred to in Item Z.
.
y
Minutes of the Meeting of the 303 Committee, 30 Ju
Excerj J or the Record, 31 July 1964: SUBJECT:
1964
l
Anisassinate. Cuban Goyernment Leaders
SubJ: tus of FBI Investigation re Plans by Cuban Exiles o
"
Me o`randum from DCI McCune to McGeorge Bundy, 19 August 1964,
-eport referred to in paragraph 3 is, we believe, the
random referred to in It~= Z.)
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 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
oECRE''/ nWLY ATTACHMENTS
MEMORANDUM FOR:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
354.
Reply to Renewed Rockefeller Commission
Staff Request for Access to NSC Minutes
lna letter of May 22 (Tab B), D d Belin has renewed his request
for "access to all minutes of meetings of the National Security Council,
In addition, we have noted recent AP story (Tab C), apparently
reply to Belin at Tab A, which pr video him with copies of the material
Rob Roy has identified as pertine it from the files of the special groups but
be sure nothing has been overloo ed.
files, we have told Belin we are ontinuing our review of the material to
reaffirms our denial of his reque t for access to the files themselves. As
a small insurance policy against ob Roy's turning up anything more in his
from Commission sources, which scribes the minutes of an August 10,
1962 meeting and a. subsequent memo written by General Lansdale pertaining
to the possible assassination of Castro. The official minutes of this meeting
in Rob Roy's files, do not refer to assassination in any way, although there
er whatsoever relate$ to any
sassination of Premier Castro of Cuba
mi.nicau Republic. "
Ratliff, I have prepared the proposed
(continued)
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 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
?ECRET/EYE Y ATTACHMENTS :
is a reference to a CIA "variant" plan which is not described. We do
not have a copy of the Lansdale memorandum. We have included the
reference both as a indirect reminder of our concern over press leaks
and also to reaaaure Belin that we have reviewed the specific document
and have found It to contain nothing referring to assa sination.
An alternative to the provision of the spec' 1 material to Belin
would be to provide the material directly to the ice President and for
inc to inform Bella that we have done so. A hough this is tempting, given
the insulting implications of Belin's letter I believe it would unduly
exacerbate our relations with Belin and hat the material would probably
be turned over to him in any event.
That you approve the proposed letter at Tab A.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approved
Alternatiz Y,
1) That the material be made available to the Vice President and my
letter be revised accordingly.
tApprove__________
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SECRET/JS O LY ATTACHMENTS
 c ... No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
AT-JA CHMENTt
Dear Mr. Belin:
minutes of meetings of the National Security Council, the Special Group
(Augmented) and the predecessors of the Forty Committee which in any
manner whatsoever : relate to any discussions, of plans involving the
I have your letter of May 22 renewing your request for access to "all
assassination of Premier Castro of Cuba or'Generalissimo Trujillo of.
As you know, in response to your o iginal request of April 17, we
conducted a thorough review of the r cords of the National Security
Council on .Cuba and the Dominican epublic for the period you specified,
1960?64. On May 9, 1975, we se t you copies of all items which, however
remotely, dealt with domestic i elligence or assassination. In my letter
of May 9 transmitting this ma rial, I informed you that the question of
access to pertinent material f om the records of the Special Group and
the Dominican Republic. "
Special Group (Augmented) w s still under review.
We have now completed review of that material, and of records of
the predecesso reftp mittee, and have identified certain
items relating to assassins ion. A list of those items is attached and copies
are enclosed. We are continuing our review of this sensitive material to
be sure that nothing has been overlooked.
We have noted a recent Associated Press news story to the effect that
the Commission has a copy Qf the minutes of an August 10, 1962 meeting
SECRET /EYES -ONLY
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 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
SEC T YES WNI
AGHMENTS r
and a subsequent memorandum written by Maj. Gen. Edward G. Lansdale
pertaining to the possible assassination of Premier Castro. We have
examined the official minutes of this meeting available in the NSC files -
and find no reference in those minutes to assassinati. We have no copy
morandut from General Lansdale such as
f
a me
o
I regret that it will not be possibleto,grant y ur request for unlimited
personal access: to.the minutes of the meeting of the NSC or of the special
groups. In most cases, the records of thes meetings covered several
topics completely unrelated to the concern of the Rockefeller Commission.
With regard to the NSC itself, the record of many meetings were kept
in the form of Ro+cords of Actions rathe than minutes. These Records
of Action, likewise, may cover many d' erent topics for any one NSC
meeting- -topics which are unrelated to ithe Commissions activities. The
discussion of these. issues, many of which remain extremely sensitive,
requires continued protection and mus be handled on a need-to-know-basis.
Since the material is unrelated to the ork of the Commission, l am sure
you will understand why we do not believe we can expose this information,
where no such need-to-know exists.
I assure you that we have reviews the records available to the NSC
very carefully and. have provided you th all information on assassination,
no matter how indirect, contained thekrein. In addition, as you know, in a
series of letters'dated May 21 to officials of the Eisenhower, Kennedy
SECRET /EYES ONLY
uest,we nave authorized
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/04/23: LOC-HAK-455-7-5-4
ATTACHMENTS
access for you or your representative to materials in those Libraries on
Cuba and the Dominican Republic for the 1959-64 period which pertain
in any way to domestic intelligence activities by the CIA or to assassination.
I trust that the material we have provided from t NSC files and the
access to material in the Presidential Libraries fpr which we have arranged
will, provide you with the resources necessary t 'complete the important
work of the Commission.
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