re fe CHA ER -AE Assassination Records Review Board 600 E Street NW « 2nd Floor « Washington, DC 20530 © (202) 724-0088 « Fax: (202) 724-0457 December 18, 1997 CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO | . DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR nee Pereira ; Nena OF CIA INFORMATION Historical Review Group | a DOCUMENT . Center for the Study of Intelligence Central Intelligence Agency Washington, D.C. 02505 Re: Status of CIA Responses to Assassination Records Review Board's Requests for Additional Information and Records Dear John: Iam writing to follow-up on our telephone call earlier today and to convey my serious concern about the status of CIA’s responses to the Review Board’s requests for additional information and records. Although CIA has completed its responses to several requests, and many others have been answered in part, a significant number of requests have not been answered. — including some that were made more thantwo _ years ago. On many occasions we have been assured that responses would be forthcoming, only to have promised dates come and go without answers. It is now extremely important that these requests be answered promptly so that we may conduct — a proper follow-up if necessary. The issues that we can now identify as being of the . highest priority are identified in the text below by double asterisks (**)' and we request that they be answered within the next month. We request that the remaining requests be answered by April 1, 1998. . The remainder of this letter is divided into two parts: first, a listing of the formal requests for information and records, and second, a listing of the informal requests for information and records. Please let me know if your understanding of any of the . following points differs from ours so that we can resolve any potential discrepancies. "As identified more fully below, the issues are: CIA-1 Organizational Material, CIA-6 Cables and Dispatches, CIA-13 Backchannel Communications, CIA-IR-03 HTLINGUAL Documents, CIA-IR-04 Disposition of Angleton Files, CLA-IR-07 Claude Barnes Capehart, CIA-IR-15 Electronic “take” from Mexico City, CIA-IR-21 DRE Monthly Operational Reports, CIA-IR-22 “A” Files on Clay Shaw and Jim Garrison. Boaro Memeens: John R. Tunheim, Chair + Henry F. Graff + Kermit 1. Hall - William lL. Joyce « Anna K. Nelson HW 53217 DBocld:32404594 Page ?
Mr. John Pereira December 18, 1997 Page 12 ““CIA-IR-22 “A” File on Clay Shaw and Jim Garrison. . In July 1997, the ARRB staff-was shown an “A” file on Clay Shaw which pre- dated a 201 file. We were also told that an “A” file on Jim Garrison also existed. The Shaw file was declared to be an assassination record and it was our . understanding that both files were to be sent to HG for processing. We have not yet received confirmation from HRG that the files are in process as _ assassination records. —_ CIA-IR-23 Watch Comunittee Files. In his memoirs, George Ball reports that upon first hearing of the shots in Dallas he called DCI John McCone and asked him to activate the Watch Committee. McCone replied that he already had. The Review Board requests the files of the ‘Watch Committee for the period January 1963-May 1964. CIA-IR-24 Defector File. The ARRB staff has identified documents on Lee Harvey Oswald from the Office of Security’s “Defector File.” It is our understanding that these documents are now being processed as assassination records. No further tasking on this subject is anticipated. . CIA-IR-25 Zapruder Film. The Board has requested any and all records, not previously located in the Sequestered Collection, on any handling by-the CIA of the Zapruder film. In particular, we are interested in any records of NPIC’s handling of the Zapruder film or copies of the Zapruder film in November and December 1963. Any log books or indexes which would indicate the individuals involved in the processing and handling of any assassination films should be included in this request. . CIA-IR-26 Jordan James Pfuntner. HW 53217 ' . The Review Board requested that a complete search for any records on this individual be undertaken, including a search of the Interagency Source Register The ARRB staff provided HRG with additional identification data on this individual. The Review Board seeks a full and accurate formal response to this Docld:32404594 Page 3
HW 53217 DoclId: 327404594 Page 4 . ; Working Notes -- Scr a Note to: Michelle Combs, ARRB Staff 5699 Subject: CIA IR 22 -- “A” Files on Clay Shaw and Jim | Garrison Copies of the A files on Shaw and Garrison have been “received in HRG. They are available for your review at your convenience (see attached envelopes). It.is my understanding that both files have been declared Assassination Records (AR) by the ARRB. The current plan is to incorporate the copies (not originals) of these two files into the JFK Collection. The files will be processed in late Spring along with other new ARs. This should complete our action on this request for the present. ; Barry URG-IntexnalUseOnly __
HW 53217 LIA-1@R~ 22 UNCLASSIFIED MEMORANDUM FOR: (U) Chief, JFK Declassification Project/HRP/OIM/DA FROM: (U) Fredrick C. Wickham, Jr. Chief, External Support Group/IMS/DO Central Intelligence Agency SUBJECT: (U) DO Response to Informal Request CIA #22 REFERENCE: (U) ARRB’s Memorandum dated 18 December 1997, ' RE: Status of CIA Responses to Assassination Records Review: Board’s Requests for Additional Information and Records (U) This memorandum is submitted in response to informal request number 22 (CIA IR #22) from the Assassination Records Review Board). **CIA-IR-22 “A” File on Clay Shaw and Jim Garrison (U) It was the Directorate of Operations (DO’ s) understanding that there were illegible markings on pages of the copy of the “A” file on Clay Shaw. Legible copies were promised and have recently been delivered. (U) The DO has recently provided a copy of the “A” file on Jim Garrison. Fredrick C. Wickham, Jr. UNCLASSIFIED Docld:327404594 Page 5
HW 53217 file eg 12 September 1998 MEMORANDUM FOR: Laura Denk Executive Director, ARRB FROM: J. Barry Harrelson JFK Project Officer, HRP/OIM SUBJECT: . CIA-IR-22, “A” File on. Clay: Shaw and Jim Garrison 1. This is in response to referent request. 2. Searches were made for files responsive to the request. Both files were found and provided for examination by ARRB staff. Both have been included within the JFK Collection and are being processed for release to NARA. 3. This concludes the Agency's action on this request. If you have any question, please advise. oo J. Barry Harrel DoclId: 327404594 Page 6