SOVIETS ALLEGEDLY GOT SPY SATELLITE MANUEL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R000600060013-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 18, 2004
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: August 23, 1978
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 2004/06/14: CIA-RDP81 M00980R0006
CIA OPERATIONS CENTER -
DISTRIBUTION II
NEWS SERVICE
The attached if from today's Star.
vets Aflie
. By Anthony Marro
Special to The Washington Star
A former CIA official arrested last
week in Chicago allegedly sold Soviet
agents a manual describing the work-
ings of the so-called "Big Bird" satel-
lite, which is used to spy on the
Soviet Union, according to intelli-
gence sources.
Several government sources said
the ex-officer, William P. Kampiles,
is accused of taking the manual from
the CIA at a time when he was-em-
ployed as a low-level official in 1977
and of later selling it to Soviet agents
in Greece.
Justice Department officials are
still trying to decide whether to seek
an indictment against him for sale of
classified material. A decision is ex-
pected before the end of the week.
THE SATELLITE, which has been
in use for about five years, is said to
be able to take photographs of Soviet.
missile silos, airfields and other mili-
tary installations, and is generally
considered an important source of
intelligence about the Soviet Union..
It is not clear, ,however, just how
valuable the manual could be to the
Soviets. Several sources said today
that the CIA considers the alleged
sale of the manual a "very serious"
matter. One Justice Department
source, however, said that the infor-
mation in the manual may be of less
concern than the simple fact that a'
low-level officer was able to get ac-
cess to it and that it could have been
missing from the agency for so long
without being discovered.
,
Kampiles, the son of Greek immi- that would have to be revealed in a
grants, was a GS-7 "watch officer"
trial.
at the agency for about eight months,
and routinely received and relayed The CIA refused official comment
classified information within the on the matter. "This is one we can't
agenc By one a unt h wante touch at "e
becon r r(W=t jhb4law. 'Oe0600060013-6
nuel
CIA, but was told that he didn't have
the aptitude for it.
An investigation was begun by the
local field office of the FBI after the
CIA turned over a letter it had re-
ceived from the former employee
saying he had made contact with
Soviet agents in Greece and, by one
account, suggesting that he might
now be of help to the agency.
At the time it received this infor-
mation, according to one intelligence
source, the FBI already had some in-
dication that the Soviets had obtained
-information about the "Big Bird"
satellite, but did not know from
where it had come.
1t was not until after the FBI had
questioned Kampiles and gone back
to the agency to ask about the
manual, according to one source,
that the agency realized it was miss-
ing.
THE "BIG BIRD" satellites,
which are launched from the West
Coast, are said to be so sophisticated
they can pick out small details of
vehicles and persons on the ground.
Although Kampiles was arrested
last week, a final decision still has
not been made on whether to seek an
indictment of him, although the
expectation is that the Justice De-
partment will make such a move. The
reason for the delay, Justice Depart-.
ment Sources said, is the inevitable
concern in any such case that it:
might cause more harm to "nationall
security" to prosecute because of the,.
revelations about the material, and
about access to it within the agency
edly Got
 Approved For Release 2004/06/14: CIA-RDP81 M00980R000600060013-6
THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
ARTICLE APPEARED 24 August 1978
ON PAGE 4 Sect.1
FthnerGIA.. aide. ~e"iz~~ ul"S s
Washington Star
WASHINGTON-A former CIA official
arrested last week in Chicago allegedly
sold Soviet. agents a manual describing
the workings of the so-called "Big Bird"
satellite;-which .is used to spy on the
Soviet Union, according to intelligence
sources.
Several government sources -said the
ex-officer, William P. Kampiles,. is, ac-
cused of taking the manual from the
CIA at a time when he was employed- as
a low-level official in 1977 and of -later
selling it to Soviet agents in Greece:
Justice Department officials still. are
trying to decide whether. to seek an in-
dictment against him-- for sale of classi-
fied material. A decision is expected
before the end of the week.
The satellite, which has been in use
for about five, years, is said to be able
to take photographs of Soviet missile
silos, airfields, and other military instal=
Soviets. Several sources said Wednesday source, the FBI already had some indi-
that the CIA, considers the alleged. sale cation that the Soviets had obtained in-
of the manual a "very serious" matter.. formation about the "Big Bird'.' satel-
One Justice Department source, how- lite,.but did not know from where it had
manual-may be.ofless concern than the IVwas not ' until after the FBI had
simple-fact that a low-level officer was questioned Kampiles and gone back to
able to get. access to it and that it could the CIA to ask about the manual, ac-
have been missing from: the agency for cording to? one source,_ that the agency.
realized it was missing..: - :. . _
so long without being discovered.', - ..The "Big Bird" 'satellites; hich ..
- are
Kampiles; the sort - of ' Greek. immi launched from the- West Coast, are said'
grants, was a GS-7 "watch officer" at to be so sophisticated they can-pick out
the agency for about. eight months, and small details of vehicles and persons on--
routinely received and relayed classified the ground.
information within. the. agency..By one
account, he wanted to.become an opera-
tions officer. with the ClAi.but.was told
. KAMPILE9%. 'WAS.: ARRESTED. last,
week..Although`-the,.final derision still
that he: didn'. have the. aptitude for it. ...has not been. made . on whether: to : seek.,;
MY INVESTIGATION was begun = ant mdictmeilt- of-him, the. expectation is
AN local field office the FBI after the that the, Justice Department will make:
such a move: The reason .for the delay,
CIA turned over a letter-it had received Justice Department sources said,- is the
from the former, employe saying he had . inevitable concern in any'such case-that
"
national
lations, and is generally. considered an made contact with Soviet agents in it might cause more harm. to
important source. of intelligence about Greece and, by one account, suggesting._ security" to prosecute- because of the-
the Soviet Union. that he might now be. of help to the revelations about the' - material; and:
agency:' - ` about access to it =within the agency,
IT ISN'T CLEAR, however, just how At the time it received' this- informa that would have to be - revealed- in a
valuable the. manual could be to the .tion, .accordin!
Approved For Release 2004/06/14: CIA-RDP81 M00980R000600060013-6