NATIONAL  SECURITY  COUNCIL   INTELLIGENCE 
.   DIRECTIVE  NO.  5l 
U.S.  ESPIONAGE  AND  COUNTERINTELLIGENCE 
ACTIVITIES  ABROAD 
(Effective  21  April  1953) 
Pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  Section  102(d)  of  the  National  Security 
Act  of  1017,  as  amended,  the  National  Security  Council  hereby  authorizes 
and  directs  that: 
1.  For  the  purpose  of  this  directive: 
a.  Espionage  is  denned  as  that  intelligence  activity  which,  is  directed 
toward  the  acquisition  of  information  through  clandestine  operations. 
b.  Co'ttnierivtclligi-v.cc  is  defined  as  that  intelligence  activity,  with 
its  resultant  product,  which  is  devoted  to  destroying  the  elYectivcncss 
of  inimical  foreign  intelligence  activities  and  which  is  undertaken  to 
protect  the  security  of  the  nation,  and  lis  personnel,  information  and 
installations  abroad,  against  csnirunr;e,  sabotage,  and  subversion. 
Counterintelligence  includes  the  process  of  procuring,  developing,  re- 
cording, and  disseminating  information  concern ir.g  hostile  clandestine 
activity  and  of  penetrating,  manipulating,  or  repressing  individuals, 
groups,  or  organizations  conducting  or  capable  of  conducting  such 
activity. 
2.  To  ensure  centralized  direction  through  prior,  comprehensive  and 
continuing  coordinali-  .:  o:  all  clandestine  activities  authorized  herein, 
the  Director  cf  Central  Intelligence  shall: 
a.  Establish,  in  cm.su: 'ation  with  the  Intelligence  Advisory  Com- 
mittee, the  procedure's  necessary  to  achieve  audi  direction  and  coordi- 
nation; 
b.  Coordinate  all  clandestine  activities  authorized  herein  and  con- 
ducted outside  the  U.S.  and  its  possessions,  including  liaison  which 
concerns  clandestine  activities  or  which  involves  foreign  clandestine 
services,  except  when  the  provisions  cf  paragraph  8  apply;  also  coordi- 
nate clandestine  activities  with  overt  collection  abroad; 
c.  Invite  departments  and  agencies  not  permanent  members  of  the 
Intelligence  Advisory  Committee  which  have  clandestine  counter- 
intelligence-responsihi!i-'ies  abroad  to  participate  in  the  Intelligence 
Advisory  Committee  dvhl.vrations  when  clandestine  count  cr:ntcili- 
gence  matters  affecting  such  responsibilities  arc  under  consideration; 
d.  Make  mutually  agreeable  arrangements  with  other  departments 
and  agencies  for  such  cover  support  as  may  be  needed  by  the  Central 
Intelligence  Agency  raid  coordinate  the  arrangements  for  cover  sup- 
port required  by  any  other  department  or  agency  to  carry  out  the 
•This  Directive  supercedes  NSCID  No.  5,  revised  8/23/Iil.
clandestine  activities  authorized  in  paragraph  4  belov.',  except  when 
such  cover  is  to  be  provided  unilaterally  and  without  utilizing  the 
facilities  of,  or  becoming  identified  with,  other  departments  or  agencies 
of  the  government  or  non-governmental  organizations. 
3.  The  Central  Intelligence  Agency  has  primary  responsibility  for  U.S. 
clandestine  activities  abroad.  Subject  to  the  provisions  of  paragraph  8, 
it  is  responsible  for  the  following  services  of  common  concern: 
a.  The  conduct  of  espionage  outside  the  United  Stales  and  its  pos- 
sessions in  order  to  meet  the  intelligence  needs  of  all  departments  and 
agencies  concerned,  in  connection  with  t lie  national  security; 
b.  Tiie  conduct  of  clandestine  counterintelligence  outside  the  United 
States  and  its  possesions; 
c.  The  conduct  of  liaison  with  foreign  clandestine  service  or  con- 
cerning the  above  clandestine  activities  with  foreign  intelligence  or 
security  services; 
d.  The  maintenance  for  the  benefit  of  the  intelligence  community 
of  central  indexes  and  records  of  foreign  counterintelligence  informa- 
tion. All  departments  and  agencies  shall  contribute  to  this  index,  on 
a  continuing  basis,  such  material  collected  by  them  as  is  appropriate 
for  a  central  file;  this  material  shall  be  collated  and  analyzed  for  appro- 
priate dissemination. 
e.  Upon  request  and  to  the  extent  practicable,  assisting  other  de- 
partmcxils  and*  agencies  in  connection  with  their  cover  support  needs. 
4.  Subject  to  the  provisions  of  paragraph  2  above,  other  departments 
and  agencies  with  commands  or  installations  located  outside  the  U.S. 
and  its  possessions  may: 
a.  Conduct  supplementary  espionage  in  order  to  satisfy  depart- 
mental intelligence  needs; 
b.- Conduct  clandestine  counterintelligence  activities  necessary  for 
the  security  of  their  personnel,  commands,  activities  ar:d  installations; 
c.  Conduct  liaison  with  foreign  clandestine  services  or  concerning 
the  above  clandestine  activities  with  foreign  intelligence  or  security 
services. 
5.  The  departments  and  agencies  concerned  shall  assist  the  Central 
Intelligence  ^Agency  in  its  conduct  of  espionage  by  providing  guidance  in 
the  form  of  continuous,  timely  and  specific  collection  requirements  and, 
as  required,  assessments  of  the  information  collected.  Sueh  depart- 
ments and  agencies  shall  provide  similar  support  to  each  other  as 
required. 
G.  In  a  foreign  area,  except  where  paragraph  3  applies,  the  Director 
of"  Central  Intelligence  shall,  after  consultation  with  the  Secretary  of 
State,  insure  thafthe  senior  U.S.  representative,  or  his  designated  repre- 
sentative, is  appropriately  advised  of  U.S.  espionage  and  clandestine 
counterintelligence  activities  conducted  in  or  from  the  area. 
-  7.  In  a  foreign  area  where  major  U.  S.  military  commands  arc  sta- 
tioned the  designated  representative  of  the  Director  of  Central  Intelli- 
gence shall  keep  the  senior  U.  S.  military  commanders,  or  their  desig-
natcd  representatives,  appropriately  informed  of  the  espionage  and 
clandestine  counterintelligence  activities  imd  operations,  conducted  by 
the  Central  Intelligence  Agi-ucy  in  or  from  such  areas,  including  liaison 
between  CIA  and  foreign  military  establishments. 
8.  In  active  theaters  of  war  wheic  U.S.  forces  arc  engaged,  or  when 
the  President  so  directs: 
a.  Except  as  provided  in  sub-paragraph  b.  below,  the  entire  Central 
Intelligence  Agency  orgr.niv.ation  conducting  espionage  and  clandes- 
tine counterintelligence  operations  in  or  from  a  theater  sliall  as  a 
component  force  be  under  the  direct  command  of  the  U.  S.  Theater 
Commander  in  accordance  with  agreements  separately  reached  be- 
tween the  Director  of  Central  Intelligence  and  the  Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff, 
and  shall  provide  espionage  and  counterintelligence  support  to  mili- 
tary operations; 
b.  Espionage  and  counterintelligence  operations  which,  because  of 
some  exceptional  political,  diplomatic  or  other  implication,  are.  con- 
ducted independently  by  the  Central  Intelligence  Agency,  shall  be 
coordinated  by  the  Director  of  Central  Intelligence  with  the  Joint 
Chiefs  of  Staff  and,  as  appropriate,  with  the  Secretary  of  State; 
c.  The  Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff  and  the  Director  of  Central  Intelligence 
shall  establish  general  procedures  for  the  coordination  of  liaison  on 
clandestine  activities  between  U.S.  military  commanders  and  foreign 
services  that  engage  in  such  activities. 
9.  In  addition  to  the  above,  the  Director  of  Central  Intelligence,  in 
consultation  with  the  Intelligence  Advisory  Commit  tee  and  other  inter- 
ested departments  and  agencies  shall: 
a.  Develop  appropriate?  policy  recommendations  for  National  Secu- 
rity Council  consideration  with  rc~p.cf  to  the  ever-all  U.S.  counterin- 
telligence efi'ort  cuncLuetcd  outside  the  U.S.  a.':j  its  possessions; 
b.  To  {'no  extent  r.cc ':-::•: -.ry  to  ensure  ccnf.'-riniiy  with  policies  2p- 
proved  by  Vr.a  IJationul  Security  Council,  provide  for  the  coordin^lio: 
of  all  types  of  U.S.  countei iuicliigcr.ee  activities  conducted  abroad  an<* 
for  the  coordination  of  such  activities  with  those  conducted  by  the 
departments  and  agencies  responsible  for  domestic  counterintelligence. 
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