DDP TO FBI SUBJ REPORT ON RUMOR ABOUT ROBERT KENNEDY BEING SHOT 7 AUG 1968
Document Type:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
07169709
Release Decision:
RIFPUB
Original Classification:
U
Document Page Count:
2
Document Creation Date:
June 6, 2025
Document Release Date:
June 12, 2025
Publication Date:
August 7, 1968
File:
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 DDP TO FBI SUBJ REPORT ON[16506084].pdf [3] | 151.71 KB |
Body:
APPROVED FOR RELEASE 2025 UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER 14176 TO: CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505 Director Federal Bureau of Investigation Attention: Mr. S. J. Papich FROM: Deputy Director for Plans4vo SUBJECT: Report on Rumor About Robert Kennedy Being Shot 1. This o that reported i ice has been informed of a rumor similar to our out teletype number 06680 of 8 June 1968. 2, On 23 July 1968 our representative in Mogadiscio, ed (but not deliberately sought out) by nney, a United States citizen, who volun- �rxnation about a rumor of Robert Kennedy having been Kinney reported that on 18 May 1968 he stopped in Beirut, Lebanon, while enroute to Mogadiscio, with his wife and child. On the evening of May 18th he entered the Phoeni- cia Bar, Phoenicia Hotel Beirut, about one-half hour before closing time. This Was either 2130 or 2230 hours according to Mr. Kinney. At the bar Mr. Jinney struck up a casual conversation with a Mr. JosepStr92 a United States citi- zen. During the conversation Mr0 Strong inquired if Mr. Kinney had heard that Robert Kennedy had been shot. Mr. Kinney replied that he had not, and Mr. Strong said that he had heard this just before coming to the bar from a man he did not identify. Mr. Kinney and Mr. Strong reportedly felt that if this were true it would appear in the newspapers the next day, which, of course, it did not. / / 3. On 19 May Mr. Kinney left Beirut for Jidda, Saudi Arabia, where his company has business. He questioned some of his colleagues in Jidda whether they had heard a story about Robert Kennedy having been shot. The colleagues dis- claimed having heard this so Mr. Kinney attributed the story to being a "typical Middle East coffee house rumor" and for- got about it. Mr. Kinney also met Mr. Strong in Jidda during the week of 19 May, and no mention was made by either party about the rumor that Robert Kennedy had been shot. iiLC-411D 4. According to our rqpresentative in Mogadiscio J. Christian Kinney is employed as a consultant IGNADE Middle West Service Company, 69 West Washington Street�, Chicago, IThei�.; He presently is assigned to Mogadiscia.,7:as,the chief consultant to the Mogadiscio Water gency on a United States Spmalia. a Mr. tJ teeredTin shot, Mr was cont Chris 2 Agency for International Development (USAID) project. Mr. Kinney is described as being a bright, pleasant, young man in his early thirties who appears to know his business, and is well thought of by USAID officials in Mogadiscio. His wife is reported to be Ecuadorian, and they have one child. 5. The files of this office contain no identifiable information on J. Christian Kinney. Our representative in Mogadiscio reports that Mr. Kinney presently is undergoing a security check for the purpose of permitting him to have access to "need-to-know" classified information in connec- tion with the USAID Mogadiscio water project. It is possi- ble, therefore, that USAID Washington may have information on Mr. Kinney. 6. Our representative in Mogadiscio reports that Mr. Kinney described Mr. Joseph Strong as being the Middle East 1 Sales Manager for Raytheon. According to Mr. Kinney Mr. Strong is based in New York and travels to his sales terri- tory several times a year. It is possible that Mr. Strong may be identical with Joseph Addingtcnrong who was born on 5 October 1911 at Chattanooga, Tennessee. According to information dated mid-1967 Joseph Addington Strong resided at 743 Wellesley Street, Weston, Massachusetts. He was employed by the Raytheon Company, Wayland, Massachusetts as International Sales and Projects Manager, Surface Radar and Navigation Operation. He has been employed by Raytheon since 1950. 7. This office conducted national agency checks on Joseph Addington Strong in 1964. The checks included the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI); Department of State, Passport Section; House Committee on Un-American Activities; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The checks developed no unfavorable information. In 1962 ONI completed a favorable background investigation on Strong. The investigation was predicated on his civilian duties in a contract capacity. CSCI-316/02930-68