Doc ID: 6598366 DATE: 10/08/98 PAGE: 1 JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM ‘ IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY INFORMATION AGENCY : NSA RECORD NUMBER : 144-10001-10287 RECORDS SERIES : AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ORIGINATOR : NSA FROM : TO : ARRB TITLE : NSA RESPONSE TO ARRRB QUESTIONS RE NSA CAPABILITIES/RECORDS DATE : 04/01/98 - GES : 5 ECTS : O ARRRB QUESTIONS RE CAPABILITIES/RECORDS MENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIF : Ente TIONS : 1A, 1B CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 07/24/98 OPENING CRITERIA ORIGINATING AGENCY’ § DETERMINATION REQUIRED COMMENTS : an = > CR] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED Released on 11-01-2017 under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2017 Note)
Doc ID: 6598366 —FORP-SECRETUMBRA— NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY CENTRAL SECURITY SERVICE FORT GEORGE G. MEADE. MARYLAND 20755-6009 erial: N5P/017/98 O01 April 1998 Mr. T. Jeremy Gunn Executive Director Assassination Records Review Board 600 FE Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20530 Dear Mr. Gunn: (U) In response to your letter of November 28, 1997, we tasked appropriate elements of the NSA Operations and the NSA Archives elements to search for information responsive to your questions. In addition, a member of my staff reviewed our United States Intelligence Board (USIB) and USIB SIGINT Subcommittee record holdings. The following represents the composite response of these elements. 448-660) Question #1: What were NSA targeting priorities and capabilities against Cuba during the period 1963-1964? Including records of the ommunications Intelligence (COMINT)-Board, -...... what records does NSA possess on tasking and results from these a capabilities? _In particular, did NSA target communications between: : = see a Havana and> ¢Duringd ftié meeting Messrs: Hatch and--"1-<'"": Fogarty suggested that the Army-Sectrity Agency had.a facility)” in 1963 targetingl_—SSSS—~d although ‘its operations not meet with great success.) Mr. Hatch stated that’ Mr. (Howard K.? Harold? Johnny?) Johnson, a former NSA employee, might have more specific knowledge of such an operation and that \ you could contact him. {fS-GCO} ANSWER: A record of the SIGINT Subcommittee of the USIB from August 1993 provides a recap of the USIB SIGINT. Subcommittee’s Priority National Intelligence Objectives. Included in this recap are objectives [requirements] to obtain information on 1) Soviet and Cuban military capabilities, 2). Soviet and Cuban capabilities, intentions, and efforts {| DRV FM: NSA/CSS Manual 123-2 Dated: 24 February 1998 DECL ON: X1,X3,X5,X6,X7,X8 Released on 11-01-2017 under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2017 Note)
Doc ID: 6598366 —FOP-SECREFEMBRA- . 44USC2107(5\(g)(2)(D) b(ii) 2% n Py : 2 te ra ; 2 ae (FSE} An NSA COMINT Technical Report (A5/A6 Comte ECHNICAL REPORT #1-66- A Survey of Soviet Communications in €nbay regarding’ SIGINT results of the targeting of Cuba was reviewed by, Di.-Hall., This appears to be the most comprehensive record of our capabilities against Cuba for the 1963-1964 . . NSA had an ‘excellent | capability to meet the SIGINT challenges of thie 1960 s. We had field’ sites in position to _ the signals of interest in Cuba, and those communication exchanges (S€} Product reports based on the targeting’ of communicatioris were reviewed by two members of my staff. Some of these reports weré the result of targeting of communications between Havana and . However, no records responsive to the John F. Kennedy _ Assassination Records Act of 1992 were located-other than those already passed to the ARRB. There were no reflections in,any of these products of any activity: that might have been related to the assagSination, only post-assassination reflections of U.S. political and protocol‘developments. NSA has approximately 12 shin boxes [4 linear feet] of Es _‘Fecords. (S} In early December 1997. the ARRB staff was provided with the name and phone number of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) historian who has information regarding an Army Security Agency (ASA) collection sitein[ __———sdurring the 1963-1964 timeframe. The INSCOM historian is Jack Finnigan who can be reached on 703-706-2630. Mr. Finnigan advised us of information contained in an ASA unit history report that was written by J. Johnson. In addition, I understand that members of your staff met in December 1997 with Mr. Frederick Berghoff, former Chairman of the National SIGINT Committee (previously known as the USIB SIGINT Subcommittee), who provided the ARRB staff with his recollections of NSA activities regarding the Central and South American Regions in the early-1960s. (U) Question #2. What, if any, additional NSA capabilities were added to target communications sources within Cuba between November 1962 and the end of 1964? What information does NSA have on the targeting of communications sources within Cuba by CIA? Was there any liaison between NSA and CIA on this issue? NSA stated that it may have between six and twelve boxes of Cuba- related material. Of what do these records consist? May the ARRB staff examine | these records?
Doe ID: 6598366 “FOP SECRET UMBRA- Pa CEO eORA - ° fe 1 - x (S-€Ee) ANSWER: The records of the USIB SIGINT Subcotimétee for the period November 1962 through 1964 were recently reviewed. No, SIGINT: Objectives were included in the SIGINT Subcommittee’s objectives #egarding : [for the 1962-1964 timeframe: -The August 1963-SIGINT Subcommittee record recaps SIGINT Objectives and the 5 and 18 November 1963.and the 10 January 1964 records indicate that requirements- -to target Soviet forces in Cuba and[——~—~S~™é‘“t;_ were already receiving priority’ SIGINT coverage. The 2 December 1963 record appears to show a change jm ‘Priorities because it presents “pertinent examples of actions ‘underway or planned... : 1) increase in intercept and more timely consolidated reporting on aban, military problems," 2) intercept and analysis of communications related: toL____Jactivity.. -seeking: information on Cuban in particular., 3), Anew attack on the problem: 4) Additional ship and airborne. intercept of Cuban communications is plarined, and 5) Increased efforts to develop information on. the technical characteristics of the internal military communications countries. (FS-ESO} NSA collectors, based ort their personal recollections, were alerted to put greater emphasis on Soviet Block and Cuban military targets to look for signs of increased readiness‘in their force posture. Analysts at NSA were also looking for signs of reactions to, and foreign intelligence reporting on, the assassination. Any voice and cipher traffic was thoroughly processed from the surrpunding timeframe. Analysts on targets that were reviewed traffic patterns to ensure that no Meuiationrs indicating unusual activity had been overlooked. A review of the United States Intelligence Board (USIB) records held by NSA shows CIA and NSA top-level Agency cooperation/coordination on intelligence targeting via the USIB. However, according to recollections of individuals working at NSA in the mid 1960s, liaison between CIA and NSA for the 1962-1964 timeframe was limited and no record of CIA/NSA cooperation/ coordination at the working levels of the agencies was located. We searched for records of CIA targeting of Cuban communications, but no records were located. However, the USIB records make repeated. reference to Committee on Overhead Reconnaissance (COMOR) Biweekly Report on High-Level Coverage of Cuba with the caveat that the information was distributed through restricted channels. Because we do not have copies of the COMOR reports, we are unable to determine if the tasking of these missions was limited to PHOTINT, or if SIGINT was also performed from the overhead vehicles. COMOR was the predecessor of the SIGINT Overhead Reconnaissance Subcommittee (SORS). The SORS committee is a subcommittee of the current U.S. SIGINT Committee. The Chairman of the SORS is Mr. John Berwin (phone number: 202-496-9828).
Doc ID: 6598366 “TOP-SECREFCABRA- 44USC2107(5)(g)(2)(D) . b(iii) (FSE} Regarding the “six to twelve boxes” discussed during 01 our benéeling with Dr. Hall and members of the ARRB Staff in November Lse74 ‘these! boxes referred to are records regarding ' mentioned in response to Question #1, a recent review of- these recottis did not result in locating any records not already. identified as tesponsive tothe JFK Assassination Records Act. The ARRB staff is welcome to examine. ‘these’: records as well as any other of the records mentioned in this letter. The records : pertaining to Cuba and{__| for this timeframe held by NSA have been ‘ researched and those believed to be responsive to the John F “Kennedy Records } Act of 1992 have been provided to Ge ARRB. ‘ (3-CCO) Question #3. Whatca abilities and targeting priorities ditt NSA have: doalnst Cuba outside — and Cuba itself during the'tinte period 1960-1964? : What records of this targeting and any results might. still ‘exist? We maintain copies of SIGINT prodiict reports, which a are NSA reports based on the intereept of communicationis, for this period. Those reports deemed responsive to the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Act of 1992 have been forwaysied to the ARBRE. ' ; es-eee+ Question « Ha, What policy ee from the time period 1960- 64 might stitf exist which reflect NSA policy making or tasking on Cuban ee niitary cammmeupioations outside of Cuba? mo (U} ANSWER: As stated previously. the USIB SIGINT Subdorfumittee records show the objectives (requireménts for targeting) and are available for review by ARRB members or staffers,’ 4S-GEOT Question #5. Are there any GOMINT Board recommendations ¢ or tasking on the targeting of| pny COMINT Bo during the period 1963- 1964? Does NSA have any other ince ene knowledge of these targets? : 4s-ceey ANSWER: No’ recommendation specific tol] was located, however, the USIB SIGINT subcommittee record of 2 December 1963 presents as one of the “pertinent examples of actions underway or planned... “Increased efforts to develop information on the technical characteristics of the countries”.
“ght * ae ¢ of Doe ID: 6598366 -FOP-SECRET-EMBRA- ca eae (FS-eeo} Question #6. Including all records of the COMINT Bard, wh iécords is does NSA have that refer to the targeting of any Soviet . j that: were in place during the period 1963-1964? What were NSA capabilities and targeting priorities against Soviet targets in _}tom: 1963- 1964? : if Cs-Ceo} -AN SWER: No records deterring to NSA tatgeting of Soviet: were located. Our interest in[ __ land our capabii against any targets in was very | limited. ‘ TS-SCS} Question #7. Did NSA produce 2 a: Technical SIGINT Report (TSR) on onf | capabilities in 1963? : (S=Gee} ANSWER: A scan for any Technical SIGINT Reports or similar documents was performed. in January 1998 but no records documenting NSA’s capabilities against] __|target for the ‘period 1960-1964 were located. (S=€EO) The ARRB staff was provided with the name and phone fumber of an INSCOM historian, Mr. Jack Fitmigan (Phone Nr. 703-706-2630), who has information regarding an Army Security Agency collection site in during the 1963-1964 timeframé. In addition ARRB staff members met with Frederick Berghoff, the former’ Chairman of the National SIGINT Committee, to obtain some “recollections”,from Mr. Berghoff regarding NSA’s interest and capabilities regarding [lin 1963. (U) If you have any questions or need additional clarification regarding the information provided, please contact either Lee Schroyer or Claudia Collins of my staff on (301)688-6798. Sincerely, OANN H. GRUBE Deputy Director of Policy