JFK Assassination System Date: 1/7/2015 Identification Form Agency Information AGENCY: SSCIA RECORD NUMBER: _157-10014-10108 RECORD SERIES: MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS OF THE CHURCH COMMITTTEE AGENCY FILENUMBER:  07-M-14 Document Information ORIGINATOR:  SSCIA FROM: TO: TITLE: DATE: 06/13/1975 PAGES: 7 SUBJECTS : “ OPERATION MONGOOSE HELMS, RICHARD DOCUMENT TYPE: REPORT CLASSIFICATION : — Declassified RESTRICTIONS: 1B; 1C CURRENT STATUS: — Redact DATE OF LAST REVIEW: — 03/21/2000 > OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : CCBOX 418 v9.1 Docld: 32423496 Page 1
Date Page 08/06/95 - 1 JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM ' IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY INFORMATION AGENCY : SSCIA RECORD NUMBER : 157-10014-10108 ; RECORDS. SERIES : MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS OF THE CHURCH COMMITTITEE ” AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 07-M-14 DOCUMENT INFORMATION ORIGINATOR FROM TO TITLE DATE PAGES SUBJECTS SSCIA 06/13/75 7 HELMS, RICHARD OPERATION MONGOOSE DOCUMENT TYPE : REPORT CLASSIFICATION : TOP SECRET RESTRICTIONS : REFERRED CURRENT STATUS : POSTPONED IN FULL ‘ DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 01/05/99 OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : CCBOX 418 (R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED Docld: 32423496 Page 2?
SECRET RICHARD HELMS oa, MARS. 180] Helms' testimony will be that in early 1961 he was "briefed" on the so-called Phase I assassination scheme to remove Castro. He thinks he was briefed by Harvey rather than by Bissell, but acknowledges such briefing, although he is unclear as to the details. Helms ‘says that there was an ongoing requirement on the Agency -and indeed a government-wide operation (Project MONGOOSE) to remove castro. ) Helms says that there were ''no limitations" ever put on the methods which would be acceptable to remove Castro, e.g. -if pressed he will agree that assassination is one such acceptable method. Therefore, on the issue of authority, Helms will say that because he felt that there was an ongoing presidentially-authorized program to remove Castro, he did not seek any specific approval from either McCone, Attorney General Kennedy, or any one else in the White House when he "took over" the Harvey operation to remove Castro. Helms will, however, make every effort to downplay anything that occurred after he was "briefed". and "took over" (as DDP) the responsibility:from Bissell for this operation. While Helms acknowledges that he did approve Harvey's contact with Roselli, he will say that he viewed Roselli as an experimental contact who would probably not amount to any concrete action. Helms will dismiss the post-1962 schemes as harebrained proposals which were made by lower-level employees with over-active imaginations and | that he considered them proposals rather than definite assassina- Doe tion plans. Docld:32423496 Page 4
SECRET Helms will state that he always felt that he was carrying out Presidential directives and never operating on his own oF without authority. | As to McCone, Helms will say that he never felt it necessary sto brief him on any of the details but (I think) that, if pressed, “he will say that he felt that McCone was aware that there was an ongoing program to remove Castro without any limitations as to means. Helms says he realizes that McCone now appears to be taking a."somewhat higher" position on this matter. _--Helms also said that the "extreme pressure" to get rid of Castro persisted all the way through 1963 but seemed to let up after the assasSination of President Kennedy in November 1963. Helms will say, however, that we were still "picking" at him in the post-'63 period. He slips and slides when queried on what "picking" means but, if pressed, he; will, I believe, say that this could include someone knocking him off. | Attorney General Kennedy meeting and memorandum. _ Attorney General Kennedy was briefed by Houston and Edwards on 7 May 1962 regarding the so-called First Phase of the assassination attempt. Sheffield Edwards states that Kennedy was briefed "all _ the way.'' Kennedy is reported to have told them that if CIA was going to use’ gangsters in the future that they should check with him first. He did not say do not engage in any. assassination pro- gram. Docld:3274273496 Page 5
SECRET This meeting is complicated by a 14 May 1972 memorandum (which - is in your folder). It describeds the 7 May meeting in terms of obfuscation, avoiding any discussion of "assassination." I view this as clearly a cover memorandum -- Senator Church will probably view it as an indication that Kennedy did not approve or mow about the assassination. program. Interesting Note: Helms recalls that the State Department had a man engaged in a full-time effort to try and arrange a group to take over the government of Cuba upon the assassination of Castro. Post-1961 Specific Phase II Operations. (1) On 18 April 1962 poison pills were delivered by CIA Dr. Triecher to Harvey to be sent into Cuba. Later memoranda indicate that these pills were actually sent to Cuba. Additionally, memo- randa indicate that the pills were "in place" ready for the attempt. . (2) Guns and explosives were given by Harvey and JMWAVE Chief Shackley to Cuban asset Verona at a cost of $5,000. (3) In June of 1962 and later in September documents indicate that three-man teams were sent into Cuba by Harvey's operatives for assassination attempts. Indeed, in December 1962/January 1963 a $2700 payment was made by Harvey to Verona for expenses of the three-man teams. Docld: 32423496 Page 6