'KIDNAPPED' FOR PHILBY CHECK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00499R000100060001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 17, 2005
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 17, 1972
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved F.. Release 2005/07/01 : CIA-RDP84-004 R000100060001-9
John, Otto. TWICE THROUGH THE LINES; THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF OTTO JOHN. London, Macmillan, 1972. 340 p.
Y 1844.8 J6 J61 E5.
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f3S/HC-71/(0:
Approved For Release 2005/07/01 : CIA-RDP84-00499R000100060001-9
 Approved For ReleaIAR.F;,B'BiA0499R000100060001-9
17 July 1972
Kidnapped' for Phithy chick
Russian fears that Kim
Philby was really an incredibly
subtle double agent led the
KGB to kidnap a West German
security chief in.Berlin, accord-
ing to a book . (YX) to be
published this week.
The author, Dr Otto John,
wartime anti-llitler conspirator
and one-time head of Federal
Germany's internal security,
says his disappearance from
West Berlin in 1954 and
reappearance in East Germany
was due to kidnapping; and not
defection. When he
reappeared in West Germany
18 months later, he was sen-
tenced to four years' imprison-
ment f o r traitorous
deception."
Dr John, whose book is
aimed at establishing his
innocence, says he was in touch
with British Intelligence from
1942, giving information of
plots being prepared ' against
Hitler. He was operating from
Spain and Portugal and Philby
was then in charge of the
British Intelligence "Iberian
desk.''
Dr John says that after being
kidnapped he could never make
out what the ultimate purpose
in abducting him had been.
But now, after analysing the
book written by Philby about
his life as a Russian spy, he
could see it all clearly. Ile says
his kidnapping came after the
Burgess and Maclean defection
and when Philby, thought by
Britain to be a security risk,
had been dismissed with #4,000
compensation.
Dr John adds : "This gener-
ous treatment by the British
Government made Philby an
object of suspicion to his
Soviet friends and masters, It
was obviously of vital import.
ante for the Soviet Secret Ser-
vice to know. whether this
anent of theirs, lvho had been
working in the highest British
quarters, was reliable or
whether he had been a double
agent, playing it both ways."
By interrogating Dr John
about his wartime links with
British Intelligence, the KGB
had convinced themselves that
Philby had not been a double-
crosser. "I am sure that in this
way Philby was rehabilitated
in Russian eyes without my
ever knowing anything about
it," he writes.
HS,Jda
Approved For Release 2005/07/01 CIA-RDP84-00499R000100060001-9
 25X1
SECRET (When F111ed In)
Approve or a ease - - -
DATES
17 Jul
1972
File of press items concerning book by Otto JOHN.
LOCATION, ff
HS/HC-846
ABSTRACT
News releases about book by Otto JOHN explaining his disappearance
from West Berlin in 1954 as kidnapping rather than defection.
FORM 2623 otlOLttt ?Rtrlout
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HISTORICAL STAFF SOURCE INDEX SECRET
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 HSJHC.24M I Place card upright in place of char
FORM NO. Iln REPLACES FORM, 36.152
1 AUG 54 J WHICH MAY BE USED.
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CASE FILE CHARGE-OUT CARD
Approved For Release 2005/07/01 : CIA-RDP84-00499R000100060001-9
god out folder.
file folder.