v9.1 DocId: 32112746 AGENCY : RECORD NUMBER : RECORD SERIES : AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ORIGINATOR : FROM: TO: TITLE: DATE: PAGES: SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : Page 1 JFK Assassination System Date: 8/27/201 Identification Form Agency Information WILDEROTTE 178-10004-10088 ASSASSINATION-RELATED MATERIALS ASSASSINATION-RELATED MATERIALS (3) Document Information SSCIA CHURCH, FRANK BUCHEN, PHILIP W. 08/29/1975 20 ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES DOCUMENT REQUEST, CHURCH COM CHURCH COMMITTEE ASSASSINATIONS, FOREIGN LEADERS LIST Unclassified Ic Redact 08/06/1993 Includes list of 117 quotations proposed for use in Church Committee assassinations report. Unmarked but may contain classified information.
» FRANK CHURCH, IDAHO, CHAIRMAN JONN G, TOWER, TEXAS, VICE CHAIRMAN PHILIP A. HART, MICH. HOWARD H. BAKER, JR., TENN. WALTER F. MONDALE, MINN. BARRY GOLOWATER, ARIZ, WALTER D. HUDDLESTON, KY, CHARLES MCC. MATHIAS, JR., MD, Gany HART, COL. eee Wnited Btates Benate WILLIAM G, MILLER, STAFF DIRECTOR FREDERICK A. 0. SCHWARZ, JR., CHIEF COUNSEL SELECT COMMITTEE TO CURTIS R. BMOTHERG, MINORITY COUNSEL : STUDY GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS WITH RESPECT TO INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES (PURSUANT Yo S. RES, 21, 6TH CONGRESS) WASHINGTON, D.C. 20510 August 29, 1975 The Honorable Philip W. Buchen Counsel to the President The White House Washington, D.C. 20500, Dear Mr. Buchen: Pursuant to our understanding, we annex hereto quotations from various documents which may be used in @ report on the assassinations allegations. If you have any questions, please contact o counsel. incerely yours, 178-10004-10239 | ia aS 178-10004-10088 John Tower Vice Chairman 178-10003- 10339 178-10003-10105 UNMARKED | MAY CONTAIN NATL SECURITY INFORMATION DoclId: 3271127748 Page 2? “ad GQTWYHS AHL WONT AdODOLOHA AMVAGIT ayor
L. 4/24/60 2. 6/28/60 3. 7/1/60 4. 10/3/60 5. 12/29/60 6. 1/12/61 DoclId: 32117746 Page 3 Memo, Sec. of State Herter to President Eisenhower "the United States would immediately take political action to remove Trujillo from the Dominican Republic as soon as a suitable successor can be induced to take over with the assurance of U. S. political, economic, and -- if necessary -- military support.” Memo, CIA to J. C. King "coc. Would it provide a small number of sniper rifles or other devices for the removal of key Trujillo people from the scene?" CIA memo "Providing the arms as requested would contribute significantly toward this end." CIA memo "a. Delivery. of approximately 300 rifles and pistols together with ammunition and a supply of grenades, to secure cache on the South shore of the island, about 14 miles east of Ciudad Trujillo. "b. Delivery, to the same cache described above, of an electronic detonating device with remote control features, which could be planted by the dissidents in such manner as to eliminate certain key Trujillo henchmen. This might necessitate train-: ing and introducing into the country by illegal entry a trained technician to set the bomb and detonator.” {Emphasis added) Special Group Minutes AUWdaIT quod °uY ATWueS AHL NOU AdODOLOHd "the proposed actions would not, of themselves bring about the desired result in the near future lacking some decisive stroke against Trujillo himself." Special Group Minutes "Mr. Merchant explained the feeling of the Depart— ment of State that limited supplies of small arms and other material should be made available for dissidents inside the Dominican Republic. Mr. Parrott said that we believe this can be managed securely by ‘CIA, and that the plan would call for final trans-. | portation into the country being provided by the , dissidents themselves. The Group approved the project.”
7. 1/12/61 8. 1/12/61 9. 1/31/61 10. 2/13/61 1l. 2/16/61 12. 3/16/61 DoclId: 32711277468 Page 4 Memo, Mann to Merchant "Opposition elements have consistently asked us to supply them with "hardware" of various types. This has included quantities of conventional arms and also, rather persistently, they have asked for some of the more exotic items and devices which they associate with revolutationary effort.” Memo, Scott to Merchant “agreed in terms of Tom Mann's memo" Cable, Dearborn to Devine "delighted" “exotic equipment." CIA memo "the key to the success of the plot [to overthrow the Trujillo regime] would be the assassination of Trujillo.” CIA memo "(a) Ex-FBI agents who would plan and execute the death of Trujillo. (b) Cameras and other items that could be used to fire projectiles. (c) A chemical that could be rubbed on the palm of one's hand and transferred to Trujillo in a handshake, causing delayed lethal results. (ad) Silencers for rifles that could kill froma distance of several miles. (Id.)" CIA memo ". . , the members of our club are now prepared in their minds to have a picnic but do not have the ingredients for the salad. Lately they have developed a plan for the picnic, which just might work if they could find the proper food. They have asked us for a few sandwiches, hardly more, and we are not prepared to make them available. Last week we were asked to furnish three or four pineapples for a party in the near future but I could remember nothing in my instructions that would allow me to contribute this ingredient. Don't think I wasn't tempted. I have rather specific guidelines to the effect that salad ingredients will be delivered outside the picnic grounds and will be brought to the area by another club. AUVddIT GUOd “UY ATWaaID AHL WONT AdODOLOHA
13. 3/24/61 14, 4/11/61 15. 4/7/61 . 16. 2/14/61 17. 5/13/61 18. 5/4/61 DoclId: 3211277438 Page 5 PMc cee cet ries ri Cable, Headquarters to Station ", . . we should attempt to avoid percipitous action by the internal dissidents until opposition groups and HQS are better prepared to support [assassination]*,effect a change in the regime, and cope with aftermath." CIA memo for the record : "especially on the insistence of the [dissidents] that they be provided with a limited number of small arms for their own protection (specifically, & five M3 .45 caliber SMGs)." : Pouch restriction waiver 9 ' < "four M3 machine guns and 240 rounds of ammunition - on a priority basis for issue to a‘small action } group to be used for self-protection." 2 Special Group Minutes ba "(a) Dominican Republic -- Mr. Bundy asked that 2) a memorandum be prepared for higher authority on the subject of what plans can be made for a successor government to Trujillo." o y | Berle memo of conversation ° ey "On cross examination it developed that the is real plan was to assassinate Trujillo and they wanted guns for that purpose. Herbert wanted > to know what the policy should be. oo "I told him I could not care less for Trujillo S and that this was the general sentiment. But we did not wish to have anything to do with any assassination plots anywhere, any time. Herbert said he felt the same way.” Special Group Minutes "The DCL referred to recent reports of a new anti-Trujillo plot. He said we never know if one of these is going to work or not, and asked what is the status of contingency planning should the plot come off. Mr. Bundy said that this point is covered in a Cuba paper which will be discussed * at a high level in the very near future."
19. 5/18/61 20. 21. 22. 23. DoclId: 32112746 5/15/61 5/17/61 5/21/61 Page 6 Special Group Minutes "Gen. Cabell [Deputy DCI] noted that the internal dissidents were pressing for the release to them of certain small arms now in U. S. hands in the Dominican Republic. He inquired whether the feeling of the Special Group remained that these arms should not be passed. The members showed no inclination to take a contrary position at this time." (Emphasis supplied) State Department Document, Select Committee No. 313 "). The USG should not: lend itself to direct political assassination. 2. US moral posture can ill afford further tarnishing in the eyes of the world. 3. We would be encouraging the action, supplying the weapons, effecting the delivery, and. then turning over only the final execution to (unskilled) local triggermen. 4. So far we have seen no real evidence of action capability. Should we entrust ourselves and our reputation to this extent in the absence thereof? 5. Can we afford a precedent which may convince the world that our diplomatic pouches are used to deliver assassination weapons?" Memo, Battle to Bundy "at their own initiative and on their own respons~- ibility in forming an acceptable provisional govern- ment they can be assured that any reasonable request for assistance from the U. S. will be promptly and favorably answered.”. , Cable, Headquarters to Station “armed assistance” Cable, Dearborn to State "too late to consider whether United States will initiate overthrow of Trujillo." "a GIWUGD AHL WOWT AdODOLOHA AUWddIT aqyod
2h. 25. 26. eT. 28. DocId: 32112748 5/24/61 5/24/61 5/26/61 5/26/61 5/20/61 Page 7 Cable, Headquarters to Station (not sent) "(1) To be so associated. with removal Trujillo . regime as to derive credit among dissidents and liberal elements throughout Latin America; "(2) To disassociate US from any obvious inter- - vention in Dominican Republic and even more so from any political assassination which might occur. "former objective cannot, repeat not, easily override latter." , Memo, Achilles to Bowles "for Bundy to present tomorrow morning.” Memo, Bowles to Bundy "Following up on our discussion of the Dominican Republic at yesterday's meeting of the Special Group, I am forwarding you a draft telegram which we would like to send to Henry Dearborn, our Consul General in Ciudad Trujillo, supplementing the guidance he will be receiving on the recently approved contingency plans." Cable, Smith & Clifton to Bundy & O'Donnell ~ "  , . we must not run risk of U.S. association with political assassination, since U.S. as matter of general policy cannot condone assassination. This last principal is overriding and must prevail in doubtful situation.” "Continue to inform dissident elements of U.S. support for their position." Cable, Station to Headquarters "HQS aware extent to which U.S. government already associated with assassination. If we are to at least cover up tracks, CIA personnel directiy involved in assassination preparation must be withdrawn." “ad GQIWaaS FHL Wodt AdOOOLOHd AaVdadIT quod
29. 7/22/60 Cable, Havana to Director “calculated risk" 30. 5/14/62 Memo, Edwards to Kennedy "At the time of the incident neither the Agency nor the undersigned knew of the proposed technical installation.' it 31. 5/14/62 Memo, Edwards to Kennedy "Maheu stated that Sam Giancana thought that Phyllis McGuire might know of the proposed operation and might pass on the information to one Dan Rowan, a friend of McGuire's." 32. 5/14/62 Memo, Edwards to Kennedy "Approached by the FBI, he could refer them to me to be briefed that he was engaged in an intelligence operation directed at Cuba." 33. 8/1/62 Contact Report, Case Officer 1 . "gould do something really significant for the creation of a new Cuba." . 34. 8/7-10/62 Contact Report, Case Officer 1 "Tt was not the act that he objected to, but merely the choice of the word used to describe it. ‘Eliminate’ was acceptable." 35. 8/16/63 Cable, Station to Headquarters "Have no intention give AMLASH-physical elimination mission as requirement but recognize this something he could or might, try to carry out on his own initiative." ddITt Gdod “a AGTWaYaS AHL NOUI AdODOLONG - nay 36. 11/18/63 Memo, Case Officer 2 "C/SAS (Fitzgerald) approved telling AMLASH-1 he would be given a cache inside Cuba. Cache could, if he requested it, include...high powered rifles with scopes. we DoclId: 3211277438 Page &
37. 4/4/62 38. 4/26/62 39, 4714/62 39a. 5/14/62 DoclId: 32112746 Page 9 Memo for record, Edwards "any prosecution in the matter would endanger sensitive sources and methods used in a duly authorized intelligence project. and would not be in the national interest. " Memo, Houston to Edwards "no major difficulty in stopping action for prosecution." - "doubted if we would want to give the full story to anyone else in the Department." “operational details." "on grounds of security." Memo for record, Edwards "conducted during the period approximately August 1960 to May 1961." "After the failure of the invasion of Cuba word was sent through Maheu to Roselli to call off the operation and Roselli was told to tell his principal that the proposal to pay $150,000 for completion of the operation had been definitely withdrawn." Memo for record, Edwards "On this date Mr. Harvey called me and indicated that he was dropping any plans for the use of Subject (Roselli) for the future." “ad GQIWaIS AHL WOUA AdODOLOHd AUVdaIT daor
40. 8/13/62 41. 8/13/62 42. 8/14/62 43. 8/14/62 44, 8/14/62 45. 8/14/62 Docld: 32112746 Page 10 Memo, Lansdale to Harvey "liquidation of leaders." “In compliance with the desires and guidance expressed in the August 10 policy meeting on Operation Mongoose, we will produce an outline of an alternate Course B for submission." "I believe the paper need contain only a statement of objectives and a list of implementing activities. The list of activities will be under the heading of: Intelligence, Political, Economic, Psychological, Para~ military, and Military." Memo, Lansdale to Harvey "Mr. Harvey: Intelligence, Political, [words deleted], Economic, (sabotage, limited deception), and Para- military." (Lansdale, Ex. 15, p. 1), Memo, Harvey to Helms “including liquidation of leaders." Memo, Harvey to Helms "The question of assassination, particularly of Fidel Castro, was brought up by Secretary McNamara at the meeting of the Special Group (Augmented) in Secretary Rusk's office on 10 August. It was the obvious con- sensus at that meeting, in answer to a comment by Mr. Ed Murrow, that this is not a subject which has been made a matter of official record. I took careful notes on the comments at this meeting on this point, and the Special Group (Augmented) is not expecting any written comments or study on this point." (Lansdale Ex. 16). Memo, Harvey to Helms “the inadmissibility and stupidity of putting this type of comment in writing in such a document." “would write no document pertaining to this and would participate in no open meeting discussing it." Memo, Harvey to Helms "a matter of official record." "is not expecting any written comments or study on this point. AWWdaIT GUOd “a GTWYID AHL KOWI AdODOLONA
46. 8/10/62 Minutes, Special Group Augmented "stepped-up Course B" 47. 8/8/62 Memo for Special Group Augmented "exert all possible diplomatic, economic, psychological, and other overt pressures to overthrow the Castro~Conmunist regime, without overt employment of U.S. military." 48. 8/10/62 Minutes, Special Group Augmented "emphasized the desirability of attempting to create a split between Castro and old-line Communists.” 49. 8/10/62 Minutes, Special Group Augmented "would hurt the U.S. in the eyes of world opinion.” 50. 8/10/62 Minutes, Special Group Augmented "led to the suggestion by General Taylor that we should consider changing the overall objective [of Mongoose] from one of overthrowing the Castro regime." 51. 8/10/62 Minutes, Special Group Augmented "old-line Communists." | 52. 8/10/62 Minutes, Special Group Augmented "The principal members of the Special Group felt, after some discussion, that the CIA variant should be developed further for consideration at next Thursday's meeting of the Special Group. McoCone was asked to stress economic sabotage, and to emphasize measures to foment a Castro- oldline Communist split." (August Memorandum, p. 2). xe AMVdeIT GuOd °Y ATWWAD AHL WOYA AdODOLOHA "Action to be taken: CIA to prepare a new version of its variant plan, in accordance with the above-summarized discussion. This should be ready by Wednesday, August 15." (August 10 Memorandum, p. 3). DocId: 321127746 Page 11
53. 54. 55. 36. BDocld: 32112748 8/13/62 8/10/62 4/14/67 8/14/62 Page 12 Memo, Lansdale to Harvey "in compliance with the desires and guidance expressed in the August 10 policies meeting on Operation Mongoose, we will produce an outline of an alternate Course B. Indeed, pursuant to the August 10 decision to adopt McCone's proposal for a more limited plan that assumed Castro's continuation in power,. Lansdale's memorandum stated that a CIA paper titled "Operational Plan (Reduced Effort) will be used as the starting basis." Minutes, Special Group Augmented "will risk inviting an uprising, which might result ina Hungary type blood bath if unsupported." "emphasized that the stepped-up plan should not be under- taken unless the U.S. is prepared to accept attributability for the necessary actions, including the eventual use of military force." "would avoid all of these dangers because it would not invite an uprising." Memo, McCone "I recall a suggestion being made to liquidate top people in the Castro regime, including Castro." | "I took immediate exception to this suggestion, stating that the subject was completely out of bounds as far as the USG (U.S. Government) and CIA were concerned and the idea should not be discussed nor should it appear in any papers, as the USG could not consider such actions on moral or ethical grounds." (McCone Ex. 4). "At no time did the suggestion receive serious consideration by the Special Group (Augmented) nor by any individual re- sponsible for policy." (McCone, Ex. 4). "Immediately after the meeting, I called on Secretary McNamara personally and re-emphasized my position, in which he heartily agreed. I did this because Operation Mongoose—an inter- departmental affair--was under the operational control of (the Defense Department)... (McCone Ex. 4). Memo, Harvey to Lansdale "the Special Group (Augmented) is not expecting any written . comments or study on this point." “ad GTIWYaS AHL WOU AdODOLOHd AUWdaIT aor
57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 6/24/66 5/14/62 5/14/62 11/3/60 4/26/62 8/16/63 DoclId: 32112746 Page 13 Memo, Osborn to Helms "the DCI was briefed and gave his approval." (6/24/66) Memo for record, Edwards "then briefed the proper senior officials of [the] Agency." "duly orally approved." "knowledge." “kept to a total of six persons." Memo for record, Edwards “cautioned him [Harvey] that I felt that any future projects of this nature should have the tacit approval of the Director of Central Intelligence." Minutes, Special Group "Finally, Mr. Merchant asked whether any real planning has been done for taking direct positive action against Fidel, Raul and Che Guevara. He said that without these three the Cuban Government would be leaderless and probably brainless. He conceded that it would be necessary to act against all three simultaneously. General Cabell pointed out that action of this kind is uncertain of results and highly dangerous in conception and execution, because the instruments must be Cubans. He felt that, particularly because of the necessity of simultaneous action, it would have to be concluded that Mr. Merchant's suggestion is beyond our capabilities." Minutes, Special Group Augmented {"field trip to Miami upon his return."] Memo, Helms to McCone "vaguely aware." "I assume you are aware of the nature of the operation discussed in the attachment." ~~ : Q fe) rg < "3 {e) = fe es i] 3 Oo 7 tz iS 7 HK fe. > oa
63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. BDoclId: 32112746 Page 14 4/22/61 6/13/61 7/21/61 10/5/61 10/6/61 10/6/61 10/5/61 Letter, President Kennedy to Taylor “our practices and programs in the areas of military and paramilitary, guerilla and anti-guerilla activity which fall short of outright war." Memo No. 4, Report to the President "We have been struck with the general feeling that there can be no long-term living with Castro as a neighbor. His continued presence within the hemispheric community as a dangerously effective exponent of Communism and Anti- Americanism constitutes a real menace capable of eventually overthrowing the elected governments in any one or more of weak Latin American republics." eek "Tt is recommended that the Cuban situation be reappraised in the light of all presently known factors and new guidance be provided for political, military, economic and propaganda action against Castro." Memo for record, Special Group Meeting "is to provide support to a U.S. program to develop opposi- tion to Castro and to help bring about a regime acceptable to the U.S.” NSAM 100 "In confirmation of oral instructions conveyed to Assistant Secretary of State Woodward , a plan is desired for the indicated contingency.' Minutes, Special Group "possible removal of Castro from the Cuban scene." Memo for record, Special Group Meeting > "a contingency plan in connection with the possible removal of Castro from the Cuban scene." Memo for record, Parrott “what was wanted was a plan against the contingency that Castro would in same way or other be removed from the Cuban scene." AMWdaIT GHOd “aA GTWYID AHL WOT AdODOLONHA